Wolf Boy
by NikkiB1973
Summary: Bella struggles with her feelings for her hot best friend. Set mid New Moon AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-set in New Moon.**_

**Part One**

_They say we live in the moment, that the past is always gone, and each day is a stepping stone into a future we can only dream of. _

Bella's dreams had been filled with nightmares for too long-she was afraid of the future because it meant letting go of the past-and _him_. She looked out of the window into the dark night only to find a sea of white. The unseasonable snow had covered everything in a matter of hours. The snow rested upon the windowsill, upon the rooftops of the distant houses, and the branches of the tall trees which stretched up to the starry sky.

The scene in front of her looked like an unfinished painting. So much of the canvas was so perfectly white, as if waiting for the artists hand to return. The air was of course cold, but Bella expected the same dampness that comes before the rain. Her breath fogged the window pane and she was forced to use the sleeve of her dressing gown to clear it.

Somewhere out in that white canvas of snow, a lone wolf boy was keeping watch.

Bella opened the window and leaned out, gasping as the sudden chill made goose pimples rise on her skin. Breath pale against the numbing air, she blinked thoughtfully as the frigid air patiently kissed her face, captivated by the soft , dusty illusions of light that sat heavy on her eyelashes.

"Jake!" She whisper yelled out into the dark. "Come inside!"

Seconds later, Jacob appeared, standing underneath the opened window. The snow was falling again, clumps of wet flakes drifting windlessly down, the air moist, the ground mushy underfoot. His perfect tan skin seemed to glow in the subdued light, highlighting his perfectly sculpted body. He wore low slung denim shorts, his feet bare.

"I'm coming up." He called back to her as he took a few long strides and leapt, reaching out with one hand to capture the lowest branch of the tree that grew outside her window.

With quiet grace, so unusual in a boy his size, he climbed the tree effortlessly, using the myriad branches for leverage. A minute later he was standing in her room-a living, breathing testament to human beauty.

Bella blushed as she tried not to show how much that human beauty affected her. Why did he have to be so freaking gorgeous? She was supposed to be dead inside-but since he had come into her life she couldn't stop her traitorous heart skipping a steady beat.

"It's cold out." She mumbled to cover her embarrassment.

"I don't feel the cold." Jacob boasted, wearing his usual confident smirk. His dark eyes were glittering with amusement as he looked at her.

"Whatever." Bella gave him a drop dead look as his smile turned into a cocky grin.

Jacob chuckled and she glared at him again.

"You could always go back outside." She muttered with a defeated sigh. How did he always manage to get under her skin so easily?

Charlie had no idea that Jacob slept in her room every night, if he did Bella knew he would go crazy. Charlie had always been overprotective, had gotten even more so since _he_-Bella winced as she tried not to think Edward's name-left her. She knew that if _he _ever did come back (which was never going to happen) Charlie would be waiting with his gun ready and loaded.

Jacob was very protective of her, too. Even though lately their friendship had come under increasing strain due to his unrequited feelings for her. Feelings he often struggled to hide every time they spent any prolonged amount of time together. The first night he had been outside watching over the house she'd had one of her worst nightmares. Unable to stay detached when he heard her screaming in fear, he had snuck into her room after Charlie had gone back to bed after another failed attempt to comfort her, and ended up falling asleep with her in her bed with his strong arms wrapped around her.

After the first time, he had snuck back into her room the following night after hearing her crying and they had ended up falling asleep again. After two weeks it just became a regular thing. It wasn't something they ever talked about, unlike tonight she normally left her window unlocked and he let himself in.

Jacob still got great fun out of teasing her and annoying the life out of her when they were awake, but he was always there when she needed him. Sometimes she felt like he had too distinct personalities. By day he would annoy her, constantly trying to push the boundaries of their carefully negotiated friendship, which would leave her annoyed and angry all at the same time. By night he would turn into the sweetest boy in the world and would cuddle her, making her feel safe and protected.

Silently, Bella lay down and waited for him to join her. Seconds later she felt the bed dip and she lifted her head so he could put one of his arms under her neck. He pressed his hot chest right up against her back and wrapped his other arm around her. She heard him sigh as she wriggled closer to him.

"What's wrong?" She whispered, pulling his arms tighter around her and pressing her face into his arm, smelling his beautiful smell that was like nothing else in the world.

"Nothing, Bells." Jacob mumbled against the back of her head.

"Okay. Goodnight, Jake."

"Goodnight, Bells." Jacob replied, kissing the back of her head.

* * *

Bella woke at five o'clock as usual to the alarm going off; she silenced it and tried, unsuccessfully, to move away from Jacob. She had her head on his chest. He had his hand on her knee, pinning her leg there, and his other arm wrapped tightly around her waist. As she tried to move, he tightened his hold, mumbling something about chocolate chip cookies for breakfast.

She moved her arm and tapped him lightly on the stomach. "It's time to get up." "She mumbled, tapping his stomach harder when he didn't budge.

Jacob groaned in annoyance and tightened his grip, pulling Bella with him as he rolled onto his back so that she ended up completely on top of him. She could feel his morning erection pressing between her legs. She gasped at the feel of it, it was strange but actually felt nice. God, what was wrong with her? It was all Jacob's fault! She tried to wriggle free, but it just made them rub together in places she would rather not think about right now. Her body started to tingle.

"Damn, Jake, wake up!" Bella hissed in his ear.

Jacob's eyes snapped open and looked at her shocked. "Wow, this is a first!"

His expression soon changed to his trademark smirk, which Bella was very tempted to slap right off his face.

"Let go of me, for goodness sake." Bella muttered irritably as he raised his hands in the air in a surrender fashion. She quickly rolled off of him. "It's gone five o'clock, Charlie will be up soon." She frowned at him, trying to cover up how flustered he was making her feel.

Jacob sighed and rolled onto his side, straight off the bed and onto his feet. Bella envied him his dexterity. "Don't be mad at me, Bells. I didn't know I did that. I'm sorry."

"Whatever." Bella mumbled as she settled back into the warm spot he had left behind.

"I'll see you later." Jacob shot her an amused smile before climbing out of the window.

* * *

Bella overslept and blamed Jacob for the fact that she had forgotten to reset her alarm. She had a hasty shower and ran down the stairs, her brown hair damp because she didn't have time to dry it because the stupid boy had distracted her so much. She pulled it back into a messy bun. Today she had thrown on her favourite dark blue skinny jeans with a white t-shirt, black hoodie and black converse.

Bella caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. Damn, she looked a mess! She was still wearing an annoyed scowl when she came across Charlie leaning against the kitchen counter eating a bowl of her cornflakes. Every freaking morning her father poured out her favourite cereal before ending up eating it himself.

"Are you okay, Bells. You look a bit harassed." Charlie said warily as he gave up the half eaten bowl and passed it to her.

Bella snatched it out of his hands, grabbed a new spoon and began to shovel the rest into her mouth. "I overslept." She complained with her mouth full of cornflakes.

"That's a shame." Charlie mumbled. "I made you some coffee."

Bella reached for the mug only to find it empty. She glared at her father while he smiled sheepishly in response.

"Whoops, I must have drunk it by mistake. Well, I'm off. See you later, kiddo." Charlie escaped before she could unleash hell on him for drinking her precious coffee, too.

* * *

Another crappy day at school passed much to Bella's relief. She walked over to her truck with Mike Newton jabbering away in her ear about some football match. She tuned him out as she hurriedly increased her pace in a bid for freedom. She concentrated all her attention on putting one foot in front of the other in case she suffered the ultimate humiliation and tripped over on the tarmac. Stupid clumsy gene!

"What's going on there?"

Mike's curious question made her raise her head to find him pointing in the direction of her truck. To Bella's dismay she found the old red Chevy swamped by people-girls in particular.

"Huh?"

As she drew closer to the horde she found the reason for the old truck's sudden popularity. Jacob Black was holding court in the middle of the groups of girls shamelessly trying to throw themselves at him.

"Stupid wolf boy and his stupid muscles!" Bella muttered through clenched teeth as she cringed, trying to avoid the crowds of desperate girls vying for her best friend's attention. One girl elbowed her on purpose, and when Bella looked up she noticed Lauren, dressed in a tiny skirt that looked more like a belt. "Holy crow, Lauren, did you know you left your skirt at home?" She asked with mock horror. It was freezing out!

Lauren scowled at her as Bella heard Jacob laughing behind her.

"You know that the emo look doesn't work for you, right?" Lauren spat back cattily.

Bella gave Lauren the finger as she shoved her way through the last of the throng and finally reached the safety of her truck and a smirking Jacob. "Couldn't you have worn a shirt or something?" She complained, feeling annoyed.

"It's too hot." Jacob laughed at her irritated expression, before he lowered his voice, leaning close and whispering close to her ear. "Speaking of hot..."

"Oh, shut up!" Bella felt the familiar tell tale blush coat her cheeks at his stupid compliment. She elbowed him in the side to give her room to climb into the cab of the truck. Sliding across the bench seat, she waited impatiently for Jacob to settle in beside her before switching on the engine.

With many envious female eyes still eye shagging Jake and wearing dreamy expressions, Bella revved the engine, forcing his admirers to scatter.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Two**

When Bella got home, she went straight to work making a lasagne for dinner. Jacob hovered around the kitchen, trying to help, but actually just getting in the way. "For goodness sake, Jake, go and watch T.V or something." She said irritably as she shooed him toward the living room.

Jacob just laughed. "Wow, you really are in a bad mood with me today, huh?" He teased, smirking.

"You made me late." Bella huffed.

"And how did I do that exactly. I left when the alarm went off."

"I fell back to sleep." Bella mumbled.

"What did you say?" Jacob put his hand behind his ear, pretending that he hadn't heard her clearly.

"I fell back to sleep." Bella grumbled. "I hate rushing around; I've looked and felt like shit all day."

"I think you've looked hot all day." Jacob countered with a sure smile.

"Look, can you just stop talking to me? I'm not in the mood." Bella threw the food in the oven and started to chop up some salad.

"Fine, whatever." Jacob shrugged and came to stand next to her, helping her to prep the salad stuff. He was standing so close that Bella could feel the heat radiating from his body to hers, it was strangely calming.

"I'm going to go start my homework. That lasagne will be done in half an hour. I take it you're staying for dinner."

It wasn't a question, Bella knew he would. Jacob always stayed when Charlie was on a late shift.

"Sure, seeing as you asked me so nicely." Jacob was smirking again.

Bella frowned at him before turning to walk off. Jacob grabbed her hand and stepped closer to her, he was so close her chest was almost touching his, she could feel his warm breath blowing across her face.

"Bells, I'm sorry about this morning. I really am. Please stop being so moody with me. It's not like you." He said quietly.

Bella took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay, yeah, I'm sorry, too. I guess I have been moody." She admitted, trying to look away from his dark brown eyes that always seemed like they were seeing into the very depths of her soul.

"So, am I forgiven?" He checked, smiling sweetly.

Bella liked this Jacob, he was the one who looked after her, her sweet best friend. He gave her his adorable puppy dog eyes that she just couldn't say no to, and she felt her irritation with him fade away.

"I'll forgive you if it makes you feel better. I'm going to do my homework before dinner." Bella quickly pulled out of his hold and walked away.

* * *

As she tried to concentrate on her calculus homework Bella found her mind wandering. It had felt weird being close to Jacob like that. She could still feel the tingles of electricity flowing through her hand where he had held it. She could still smell his sweet breath that had blown across her face. Bella couldn't work out why the atmosphere in the kitchen had been so weird between them. It was so confusing. She shook her head to try and clear it, and pulled out her calculus homework, trying to make a start on it at least.

* * *

After they had eaten dinner in relative silence, Bella finished her homework. As it was still only eight o'clock Jacob decided to put on a movie. He sorted through their limited collection of DVD's and settled on one of Charlie's action movies. This was on the same level as fishing as far as Bella was concerned. She sat on the couch and reluctantly turned her attention to the flat screen.

For some reason she was feeling a little uncomfortable and couldn't explain why. She was just sitting there with Jacob the same as usual, but something felt off. Throughout the film she kept sneaking little glances in Jacob's direction. He was sitting there watching the movie, his arm casually slung over the back of the sofa.

Neither of them moved until the movie was finished. Bella stifled a yawn. "I'm going to bed, Jake. I'm pretty tired." She murmured, getting up and stretching like a cat.

When she looked back at him, she noticed that he was watching her intently. Bella cleared her throat because he was still staring at her with a strange expression on his face.

"Oh, yeah, okay. I'll just shoot outside for a while and check in with the pack." Jacob said, standing up to leave. "I'll be back in about an hour."

Bella followed him out and locked the door behind him, feeling a little puzzled. Why was everything so tense and strange between them tonight? It was probably because she was so pissed off at him that morning it had just made things a little awkward.

She hurried upstairs to quickly change into a tank top and shorts. She didn't need to wear anything warmer. Having Jacob sleep beside her was like having her own personal space heater. After brushing her teeth and combing her hair she jumped into bed. It felt big and cold, just like every night before Jacob joined her. After an hour or so had gone past, Bella heard the window slide open and then closed again. The bed dipped behind her.

"Hey, are you asleep?" Jacob whispered.

"I was waiting for you." Bella replied sleepily.

She lifted her head so he could put one of his arms under her neck. Jacob pressed his chest right up against her back like he had the night before, and wrapped his other arm around her. Bella wriggled against him. She loved Jacob sleeping in with her, the bed didn't feel right anymore without him there.

"Is something wrong?" She asked him when he remained silent.

"There's nothing wrong. I'm just tired." Jacob mumbled against the back of her head.

Bella pulled his arms tighter around her, pressing her face into his arm, smelling his beautiful scent that was like nothing else in the world.

* * *

Bella woke to the sound of her alarm. She silenced it and tried, unsuccessfully, to move away from Jacob. "You need to get up." She whispered to him.

He rolled onto his side and groaned, putting one arm over his face to shield it from her. "Morning's are a pain in my ass."

"A worse pain in the ass would be a bullet from my Dad's gun if he finds you in here." Bella said testily.

Jacob removed the arm covering his face and opened one eye. "Your dad loves me."

"Not in my bed he doesn't."

"Okay, whatever." Jacob yawned as he leaned in to kiss Bella's forehead. He clambered out of the bed and headed to the window. "I'll see you later." He said, shooting her a mocking smile as he left.

* * *

After getting dressed more peacefully than the day before, Bella padded down the stairs to find Charlie eating her cereal again_. Every freaking day_! She sighed and stole the half finished bowl out of his hands.

"Why make it if you're going to eat it anyway?" Bella demanded, frowning. She grabbed a new spoon out of the cutlery drawer and began to munch on her breakfast.

"And a good morning to you, too." Charlie grumbled. "That was actually my breakfast, kiddo."

"Huh?" Bella blinked at him in confusion.

"Never mind!" Charlie rolled his eyes as he folded up the newspaper he had been reading and chucked it on the counter. He was about to reach for his mug of coffee when Bella beat him to it and snatched it. "Hey!" He protested.

"Huh?" Bella gazed at him innocently as she eagerly gulped down some of the hot liquid. "You really need to make your own breakfast instead of swiping mine, Dad."

"Unbelievable!" Charlie threw up his hands in defeat. "I'm off to work."

"Have a good one." Bella said vaguely.

"At least no one there would dare to rob my coffee." Charlie muttered under his breath as he grabbed his jacket and left.

* * *

Bella was swamped as soon as she pulled into the parking lot. There was the usual gaggle of girls demanding to know who her hot friend was and would she pass on his number. Disgusted by some of their crude questions, Bella pushed her way through them to find Ben, Angela's boyfriend, having a meltdown in the parking lot.

"What's up, Ben?" Bella asked kindly. She really liked Ben. He was completely devoted to Angela which meant there was no chance of him hitting on her-unlike Mike Newton and the rest.

"It's Angela's birthday tomorrow. I have no idea what to get her." He wailed.

"Calm down, you've still got time." Bella began to steer him toward the school. "Now what sort of thing does she like?" She asked.

In the distance Bella could see Mike, Eric and Tyler Crowley heading in her direction. Using Ben to head them off, she linked arms with him and listened as he reeled off a list of Angela's favourite things. He really was a sweetheart. He knew Angela so well, just like Jacob did her-not that it was the same thing.

"I wanted to get her something she could keep, but I can't make a decision..." He babbled.

"Ben, calm down. How about some pretty earrings?" Bella suggested. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Mike and the other boys closing in. "You could also get her a new jewellery box or something to put them in."

Ben's face brightened considerably. "That's a great idea! You are amazing, Bella. No wonder all the guys have a crush on you."

Bella blushed. "I don't think so." She mumbled, embarrassed.

"I owe you big time. If there's anything I can do for you..."

"There is one thing." Bella said in a low voice as she jerked her head in Mike's direction.

Ben grinned. He understood completely. "I promise you will have a Newton free day, Bella." He promised as he went to head Mike off before he reached them.

Bella watched him go with a satisfied smile. Today was going to be a good day she decided.

* * *

Jacob was waiting for her after school like always. The usual gaggle of girls were hanging around him. Lauren, of course, was at the front. Bella's good mood vanished as she fought her way through the throng to get to her truck.

"For goodness sake!" She muttered under her breath as she deliberately elbowed Lauren in the side.

"Hey, watch it!" Lauren whined as she glared at Bella, pouting.

Bella accidentally on purpose trod on Lauren's foot. "Oops! I'm so clumsy." She deadpanned. Lauren squealed and shot her another malevolent glare.

Jacob's laughter greeted Bella as she finally reached her beloved truck. "Nice one." He said as he opened the door for her.

"I thought so." Bella agreed with a satisfied as she allowed him to help her inside.

* * *

"So..." Jacob began slowly as he watched Bella's face carefully for her reaction. "A friend of a friend is having a party tonight. I thought you might like to come with."

"Who is this friend of a friend?" Bella asked suspiciously as she pulled into the driveway.

"You don't know them." Jacob was being deliberately vague.

"Does it involve dressing up?" Bella demanded cagily.

"It's a party, duh!" Jacob rolled his eyes.

"Then no."

"Bella!" Jacob wheedled as he gave her the full force of his puppy dog eyes. "Please, please, please..."

Ugh! He damn well knew she couldn't resist that look. "Alright, alright. Jeez, I'll go as long as Charlie agrees."

"Of course he'll agree. As long as he knows you're with me he won't stress. Your old man loves me." Jacob gave her one of his cocky smiles making her sigh in exasperation. She was sure this decision was going to bite her in the ass.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Three**

Bella was in the midst of getting ready for the party when she stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in nothing but a towel, only to walk straight into Jacob who had just come up the stairs.

"What are you doing here?" She said, immediately feeling flustered.

"Charlie told me to come over early so he could give me a lecture...well more like a list of rules, really. I pretended I needed to use the bathroom to escape." Jacob smiled, a teasing light glittering in his eyes as his hands shot out to steady her, grabbing her around the waist to stop her toppling over.

Bella clutched the towel tighter around herself as she tried to calm her shocked heart.

"Wow, I really like that outfit." Jacob continued, wearing his usual smirk.

He looked her up and down slowly, laughing when Bella blushed scarlet. She slapped his hands away and stormed into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. As soon as the door closed, he knocked.

"What, Jake?" Bella asked angrily from the other side of the door.

"Bells, open the door, please." Jacob knocked again.

"Jake, just go away. Seriously, I'm not dressed." Bella retorted as she exchanged the towel for a t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants.

"Bells, please." He begged.

Damn! She hated when he used that voice. That was the voice he often used to calm her down when she was having one of her nightmares. It was the voice she always had trouble saying no to. Sighing, she wrenched the door open and he smirked when he realised that she had changed her towel and was now wearing one of his old pre-wolf t-shirts.

"Hey, I was wondering where that t-shirt went. It used to be one of my favourites." Jacob said, nodding at the t-shirt.

Bella gasped, immediately thinking he was going to ask for it back. This was her lucky t-shirt. She put it on whenever she was feeling down or having a bad day, or whenever she felt like being a slob and lounging around the house. "You're not getting it back. It's mine now." She stated, waving her hand toward him in a dismissive gesture.

"That's cool. It looks better on you than it did on me anyway. It's not like it would fit me anymore." Jacob replied with a grin. He flexed his muscles causing Bella to do her usual eye roll at him.

"Look, I'm still getting ready. What do you want?" She repeated.

"Just to double check that you still are coming."

"And you couldn't have asked me through the door?" Bella snapped impatiently. Why did he have to make everything so difficult? It was like he enjoyed getting under her skin.

"I could have done, but then I would have missed the pleasure of seeing you wearing my t-shirt. I think it's very sexy when a girl wears her man's clothes." He teased again, raking his eyes over her again, which only ended up riling Bella up further.

"You're not my man, so get the hell out!" She shouted.

"Whatever you say, honey." He chuckled and left her to stew alone in her room.

* * *

Bella dried her hair off, straightening it and putting on a minimum amount of makeup. She swept the mascara brush across her already thick lashes just to enhance them a little, then added some clear lip gloss. She studied her reflection in the mirror, feeling suddenly nervous. Parties weren't really her thing, and she couldn't think why she had agreed to go to this one. Part of her hand been hoping Charlie would give her an out by refusing to let her go, but to her chagrin he had been highly enthusiastic that his reclusive daughter was finally going to do some normal teenage things.

The fact that Jacob was going to be her chaperone was probably another plus.

Jacob had been very cagey about where the actual party was taking place, or even who was hosting the thing. Knowing so few details was making her even more nervous. She was going to be surrounded by complete strangers. She was beginning to have serious regrets about going, but knew it was too late to back out now.

The problem was what to wear. Bella had decided to stick with her trademark jeans, they were just too familiar and comfortable. So to add some sparkle she pulled on a glittery tank top which was sewn with myriad silver sequins. It went nice with the dark skinny jeans. She finished off with some discreet jewellery and her silver strappy sandals. She looked at herself in the mirror again and took a deep breath.

"You can do this!" She said aloud to herself.

Her reflection begged to differ.

Sighing in resignation, Bella grabbed her black imitation leather biker jacket and left.

* * *

Bella was proud of herself for negotiating her way down the stairs without killing herself in the heels, when she collided with Jacob again, who was coming out of the front room with Charlie. She let out a very unladylike squeal as he quickly steadied her with his hands.

"You look incredible." He whispered seductively in her ear, his voice so low that Charlie couldn't hear. "But I definitely preferred the towel." His hot breath tickled down her neck, making her shiver.

"Give the girl room to breathe, Jake." Charlie said testily as he quickly inserted himself between them. "Remember our little talk?" He ended sharply.

Jacob rearranged his features into a respectful smile and nodded. Satisfied, Charlie turned to face his daughter and took one of her hands, smiling like the proud parent he was.

"You look great, Bells." He said gruffly as he pressed something small and very familiar into her palm. It was pepper spray. Bella gave him a look but Charlie just patted her cheek before stepping back. "Just in case you get separated from Jake for any reason."

"Ready to go, Bells." Jacob offered her his arm.

"I suppose." Bella said less then graciously as she took it. She heard him chuckle quietly under his breath, which just seemed to annoy her even more.

She stole several glances at him as they stepped out into the cool night air. The unexpected snowfall from a few nights ago was already melting away. She had to admit Jacob looked really handsome all dressed up-well dressed up for him. He was wearing a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The shirt hugged his body nicely, hinting at the definition of muscle underneath. He wore the shirt loose over a pair of smart black jeans.

"You look nice." She said to him as he led her toward the car. "I can't remember the last time I saw you in a shirt."

Jacob laughed at her grudging compliment as he opened the passenger door of the old Volkswagen rabbit he was restoring and helped her inside.

* * *

The party was in full swing when they arrived. There were people everywhere. Jacob still hadn't told her much about who this _friend of a friend_ was. But whoever they were, they had money. The house was huge-one of the biggest she had seen on the reservation. She held on tightly to Jacob's hand as they made their way down the hall. Some of the party goers were staggering around already even though it was still early. They must have only been drinking for an hour-it was pathetic.

"Hey, Jake!"

"Hey, man!"

"Dude, over here!"

Bella was surprised by the number of people greeting Jacob. She recognised none of the faces. It made her feel perturbed that her best friend had this whole other life she didn't know about.

She frowned when a group of girls came up and blocked their path. All Jacob did was say hi and they started giggling uncontrollably. One had her hand on his arm, and another pressed into his side. Jacob looked completely uninterested but Bella was sure he must be enjoying the attention on some level. He was asking the girls to move but they stayed where they were, hanging on to his every word, while trying to flirt with him shamelessly, even though she was right there.

_"You're not his girlfriend. Why do you care?"_ A traitorous voice accused in her head.

Bella tried to ignore her subconscious. She gave the girls withering glances as they continued to vie for Jacob's attention. When they still refused to budge Bella got impatient and turned to walk away.

"Bells, wait for me! Where are you going?" Jacob called, grabbing her hand as she continued to weave through the crowds of people making out and grinding against each other.

"I'm thirsty." Bella muttered as she finally found the kitchen. She stopped in her tracks when she was greeted by what she could only describe as a goddess.

Bella stared miserably as the goddess-her long black hair flowing down her shoulders in a satin wave-reached Jacob and took his face in her hands. She smiled at him seductively, pulling him close as she planted a kiss on each cheek. "You came." She purred.

"He will be if you keep mauling him like that." Bella muttered under her breath.

"What?" The goddess with the amazing hair turned to look down at Bella, seemingly to suddenly realise she was even there. "And who are you?" She said archly.

"This is my gi...um...friend...I mean my friend who's a girl. This is Bella." Jacob stumbled cutely over his words as he introduced her. "Bells, this is-"

"Becky." The goddess finished for him as she regarded Bella thoughtfully. She swept her glorious midnight hair over one shoulder, smiling slightly and revealing a set of perfectly white teeth. "So...where do you come from?"

"Forks." The words popped out before Bella could stop them. She cringed internally as Becky with the good hair laughed as if she had said something toe-curlingly funny.

"She is adorable, Jake. Where on earth did you find her?" Becky gave Bella a scornful smile.

"I've known her most of my life." Jacob looked right at Bella, his voice and expression full of tenderness as he spoke. He took Bella's hand and she instantly felt better. "The party's great, Becky." He said without giving the goddess a second glance. "Thanks for the invite."

"Why don't you let me get you a drink?" Becky offered as she tried to recapture his attention.

Jacob gripped Bella's hand tighter. "I don't drink." He said casually, shrugging.

"Everyone drinks. There's plenty of food, too. I'm sure I could find something to whet your appetite." She gave Jacob a smouldering look while elbowing Bella out of the way at the same time. She twirled a lock of hair around her finger and smiled coyly up at him.

Just then a group of people barged into the kitchen looking for more drinks. Bella found herself pushed back out into the hall. All she could see was the back of Jacob's head as Becky stood on her tiptoes to whisper intimately into his ear.

"Are you okay?"

Bella turned to find a petite girl standing next to her. Her silky black hair was cut into a fashionable bob. Her smile was kind and reached all the way to her eyes.

"I didn't know that Jake had a girlfriend." She continued. "I'm Lily by the way."

"Hi, I'm Bella. And no...Jake and I are just friends." Bella clarified softly.

"Ah...but you'd like to be much more. I get it." Lily linked arms with Bella and began to lead her away from the kitchen. "We've all been there, Bella." She sympathised. "Jake and those hotties he hangs out with have always got girls throwing themselves at them."

"You know Jake's friends?" Bella asked in surprise.

"Not really." Lily confided. "They're a pretty tight knit group. Keep themselves to themselves. They've got a bit of rep on the res..." She paused, looking anxious suddenly. "Hey, do you know them?"

"Kinda." Bella admitted. "But only through Jake."

"Oh...how did you meet him?" Lily asked with interest.

"His dad is friends with my dad." Bella said vaguely.

"And your dad is?"

"Charlie...Charlie Swan."

"I've seen him around. He's the police chief and you're his daughter." Lily's face brightened into a big smile. "He's a good guy. I bet he was a real hottie in his day, too."

"I'd rather not think about that." Bella grimaced.

"I get it." Lily laughed. "Come on, Bella. Now Becky's sank her hooks into Jacob I don't expect you'll see him for the rest of the night. Stick with me, girl. I'll show you some fun. Let me get you a drink."

"I don't really drink. And I'm sure that Jake will come find me soon." Bella looked around helplessly, already feeling miffed that Jacob wasn't already looking for her.

"Chill, Bella." Lily said as she pulled her toward the gyrating crowd.

* * *

Bella had already drunk a lot very quickly in an attempt to keep up with her new friend Lily. She grabbed another cup and poured herself three quarters of a cup of Vodka and added a splash of orange juice, downing a shot of Vodka while she was still pouring.

"You're wild." Lily whisper-yelled in her ear.

Bella giggled drunkenly as she passed a shot to Lily. The two girls held hands as they weaved their way through the sea of bodies, eager to mingle. Jacob suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He finally seemed to have detached himself from Becky and was alone. He was not amused when he found Bella swaying to the beat of the music, singing at the top of her voice with her new bestie.

"Bells, take it easy there, alright?" He frowned at her drink, shaking his head worriedly.

"I'm fine. Stop fussing, Jacob. Lily's taking care of me." Bella bellowed up at him, pointing to her new friend.

Lily was gazing up at Jacob with stars in her eyes. "Hello, I'm Lily." She said breathily.

Jacob ignored her and drew Bella off to one side. "Look, Bells, I'm sorry I abandoned you..." He stopped talking and jerked his head upright when he spotted Jared Cameron in the far corner of the room. "Look, just stay right here, honey. I have to talk to Jared for a minute."

Bella watched irritably as he sailed off into the crowd again. "There he goes again." She muttered darkly. What was he up to? She glared in his direction suspiciously, fully intending to follow him when Lily caught her attention.

"Hey, Bella, ignore him." Lily giggled as she showed her the bottle of Vodka she had swiped from the kitchen. "All boys are idiots. They can't help it. Come on, girl, let's get completely wasted and forget about them."

* * *

After a few more shots Bella was feeling pretty drunk. She didn't feel that steady on her feet, but she carried on dancing with her new friend anyway. There seemed to be no sign of Jacob. He hadn't come back after a few minutes like he had promised. She was pissed at him for abandoning her. If Becky with the good hair wasn't welded to another guy only a few feet away, then she would have assumed he was with her.

Lily suddenly nudged her in the side. "Jake's back." She slurred. "And he's brought his friends with him. Seriously, he is totally checking you out."

Bella's head snapped up and she stared wide-eyed as she spotted Jacob and the rest of the pack standing together in one corner of the room. They were attracting quite a lot of attention-the buzz of gossip was already flying around the room. She wondered drunkenly what they were all doing here-especially Sam-who looked as stern as always.

The song changed in the background. Bella felt someone grab her hand and turned to find Jacob beside her giving her a smile, one of his special ones, and she couldn't help but smile back. She noticed that Paul Lahote had claimed Lily's hand and was already dancing with her. Embry and Quil were mingling too. Only the imprinted males-Sam and Jared-remained on the sidelines, looking stern and thoughtful.

"Dance with me, Bells." Jacob said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Bella was so drunk at this point she had forgotten why she was angry at him. She wrapped her own arms around him and tucked her face into his neck. He smelled amazing and she wondered what he would taste like if she licked him. The thought made her burst into a fresh set of giggles. Wait, had she just thought about licking Jacob like he was a lollipop or something?

Jacob pulled back and looked at her curiously, which just made it seem funnier in Bella's addled brain. He rolled his eyes and shook his head, looking amused, as he pressed his body back to hers. The song wasn't really a slow song so they were swaying quite fast and half grinding against each other. If she was sober Bella knew there was no way she would make an exhibition of herself like this, but right now she felt wild, young and free. She found that she loved dancing, and Jacob was really good at it, their bodies seemed to fit together perfectly.

Jacob pulled back to look at her and gifted her with another one of his special smiles. Her mouth pulled up into an answering smile. He actually looked really cute when he smiled like that, funny how she had never really thought about that before and she had known him forever.

Sam came out of nowhere. "It's time." He said, grabbing Jacob's shoulder and urging him to follow.

Jacob was suddenly all business. "I have to take care of something, Bells. Stay right here, okay. I'll be back."

With that parting comment, and much to Bella's dismay, he followed Sam through the gyrating crowd. The others left, too. Paul abandoned Lily, and went after them, with Embry and Quil hot on his heels.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Four**

"Where are they going?" Lily whispered drunkenly in Bella's ear.

"I don't know." Bella's head was still reeling from Jacob's sudden disappearance. She felt suddenly bereft.

Lily noticed and linked arms with her. "I told you, Bella. Boys are complete idiots-especially the hot ones. Let's go and get some more drinks."

Bella sighed forlornly and allowed her new bestie to take charge. It took them a while to find the kitchen. The place was completely rammed. More people were still arriving, even though it was getting pretty late now. Bella walked smack bang into a guy she didn't know. He was probably a bit older than she was, but he seemed really cute. He had black hair that was quite shaggy; it flicked across his forehead, and almost covered one of his eyes.

"Well hello, cutie." He said in a sexy voice.

"Go away, Trent." Lily snapped as she glared at the newcomer.

"Nice to see you, too, sis." Trent laughed at Lily's angry expression. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"No." Lily pushed past her brother and dragged Bella into the kitchen with her. "Add big brothers to that list of idiots." She muttered under her breath.

Trent had followed them into the kitchen. He watched in silent amusement as Lily poured them both a couple of shots. "The olds are not going to be happy if you come home wasted again, Lil." He warned her. "And I'm not covering for you."

Lily shrugged as she passed one of the shots to Bella. "See you later, Trent." She sneered.

Trent just rolled his eyes at her before sloping off.

"Don't you two get on or something?" Bella asked curiously.

Being an only child meant she had no experience of living with a sibling. Jacob had two older sisters-twins-but Rachel and Rebecca had left home as soon as they were of legal age, leaving their younger brother all alone to care for their disabled father. Bella still got angry when she thought about it.

"Sometimes." Lilly shrugged again, clearly not wanting to waste her breath on that particular conversation.

"Okay." Bella knew when not to pry.

"Come on, let's find a quiet corner." Lily said as she grabbed another two cups and a bottle of Jack Daniels.

* * *

Soon the girls were completely trashed. They leaned against each other heavily as they chatted and laughed about random stuff that didn't even seem to make sense.

"So...how long have you had the hots for Jacob, Bella?" Lily asked as she drank the Jack straight from the bottle.

Bella felt her cheeks growing warm and it had nothing to do with all the alcohol she'd consumed. "I do..don't...we're just friends."

"Uh huh?" Lily giggled at the expression on Bella's face. "Come on spill, girlfriend. What's he like in bed?" She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

"Very warm." Bella answered without thinking.

"I knew it!" Lily squealed. "I knew you'd slept with him!"

"I haven't...I mean not in so many words. I mean I have slept with him...well we do sleep in the same bed..." Bella continued to ramble incoherently.

Lily was staring at her wide-eyed. "You sleep in the same bed?"

"Yeah." Bella nodded her head drunkenly as she tried to focus both her eyes on Lily at once.

"Every night?"

"Yeah."

"Does your Dad know?" Lily gasped in shock.

"As if!" Bella giggled as she took the bottle of Jack from Lily and took a swig.

"Jeez, that boy has some balls to sneak into a plea...polis..." Lily frowned as she started to slur her words.

"Please chief." Bella said for her.

"Yes...please chief h...house." Lily hiccupped and it set the two girls off into a fresh set of giggles.

"You're funny." Bella leaned her head on Lily's shoulder and smiled.

"I am, aren't I?" Lily took the bottle from Bella and raised it to her lips. "Is Jacob your first boy...boyfriend?"

"We're friends." Bella mumbled.

"Oh...friend's with um...be...'hic'...benefits?"

"There ish a lotta be...benefits...yeah." Bella agreed, nodding.

"So...is he your firsh...first benefit friend?" Lily persisted.

"Well there wash E..." Bella grimaced when she tried to say his name. She was beginning to feel a little sick.

"Who?"

"Ed...wood." All the breath whooshed out of Bella as she finally managed to gasp his name.

"Ed Wood?" Lily muttered. "What h...'hic'...'appened to im...him?"

Bella's eyes turned glassy at the memory. The familiar panic started to rise and her heart rate increased. Her mouth went dry and she grabbed the bottle from Lily and gulped down a huge mouthful. The alcohol burned the back of her throat and she coughed. "Shit." She muttered.

"You okay?" Lily was patting her hard on the back.

The drink was beginning to numb her brain. Bella sucked in a sharp breath and looked sadly at Lily. "He left me all alone. Dumped me in the woods."

"Bastard!" Lily said in disgust. "That's just cr...cruel."

Bella hugged the bottle of Jack to her chest. "I didn't se..see it c...coming."

"I'm shorry, Bwella." Lily settled down beside her again, sighing. "Most boys...'hic'...only want one thing. When they get it...kaboom...they're off."

"It wasn't like that. I never...me and Edw...we never slept together."

"Oh." Lily seemed surprised by this. "How long were you with him?"

"Six months."

"Six months?" Lily looked at her oddly. "And he never?"

"Nope." Bella shook her head. "He couldn't you see. He may be a vegetarian but my stoopid blood made it difficult."

"Your blood?" Lily giggled, convinced that Bella was joking. "Ish he a vampire or somefing?" She slurred.

"Yeah." Bella gasped as she swung around to face Lily. The sudden movement made her head reel and she touched her aching temples gingerly in order to stop the room spinning.

Lily snorted with laughter. "You are funny, girlie. A vegetarian vampire! You almost had me!"

Bella groaned as she slumped down next to Lily. "My head hurts." She moaned. "I think I'm going to be sick."

She felt a pair of hands trying to help her up. Bella's head was swimming as she climbed to her feet, leaning against her rescuer to support herself.

"Jeez, Lil, look at the state of both of you. I warned you." A male voice said angrily.

"Shut up, Trent." Lily retorted sharply in the background. "We were having fun."

"Does your friend look like she's having fun? She can hardly stand." Trent sounded furious. "You always do this, Lily. You don't think of the consequences and drag other people into your mess."

"Don't yell at me, Trent." Lily was close to tears now.

Bella listened to them argue as the room continued to spin around her like a crazed merry-go-round. The next thing she knew, Trent was gone. She looked up with difficulty, feeling completely disorientated, only to find Jacob pinning Trent against the wall, his arm across the guy's throat. He looked so angry that Bella worried he was going to kill poor Trent.

"You don't fucking touch her!" Jacob growled menacingly.

Bella started to feel sick, literally. She left the kitchen and staggered toward the bathroom, pushing through people in her effort to get to the toilet before she puked all over the floor. Thankfully, she managed to reach one in time, where she proceeded to throw up what felt like several litres of Vodka and Jack Daniels. She groaned, flushing the toilet as she moved back to sit down when she leant against someone's legs. She didn't freak out though, she knew it was Jacob.

"You alright?" He asked, his voice sympathetic.

Bella couldn't answer; she leaned against the toilet and threw up another bottle of Vodka. Jacob, bless him, was rubbing her back in small circles and holding her hair out of the way for her.

"I'm going to take you back to mine." He said, looking concerned. "We can't let Charlie see you like this. I'm sorry, Bells."

"Yeah." Bella said miserably as she struggled to get up off the bathroom floor, she felt so uncoordinated that it didn't work out too well. Jacob smiled and bent down, slipping his arms under her and picking her up easily as if she weighed nothing at all.

* * *

Billy was none too pleased when Jacob rocked up with a drunken Bella cradled in his arms. After tearing a strip off his son and then listening to Jacob's pleas for clemency, he went to the phone and called Charlie, ready with an excuse.

"Put her in the twins room." He barked at Jacob as he punched the buttons on the phone.

"Thanks, Dad." Jacob said sheepishly as he carried Bella down the narrow hall to his sisters old room.

"I need to brush my teeth." Bella whined pitifully.

"Um...yeah...I think I have a spare toothbrush somewhere." Jacob changed direction and transported Bella to the bathroom instead. He sat her on the unit next to the sink, grabbed the spare toothbrush and put the toothpaste on for her. Bella smiled weakly in thanks and brushed her teeth, making sure all the alcohol taste was gone.

"Bed?" Jacob asked when she was done.

Bella nodded and he picked her up bridal style and carried her the rest of the way to the twins old room. Billy had thrown some covers on the bed in readiness. Jacob pulled them back and was just about to put Bella in when she remembered she was still in her party clothes.

"Wait, Jake. I can't go to bed like this." She fussed.

Jacob nodded and set her down on her feet. She wobbled, barely even able to stand and she felt herself sway as her legs threatened to give out. Jacob sighed, wrapped one arm around her waist, holding her up. Bella grimaced, feeling sea sick as she grabbed the bottom of her top and pulled it over her head. She got tangled in the process and let out a small cry of frustration. She heard Jacob sigh as he pushed her gently onto the bed and pulled her top off the rest of the way. When she looked up at him, she saw an amused expression on his face. She flopped back on the bed, raising her hips as she unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans as she pulled them down. She struggled to get them all the way down and Jacob was forced to help her again.

Bella lay on the bed in nothing but her underwear but after everything that had happened tonight she didn't have the will to feel embarrassed. Jacob was wearing his usual trademark smirk, his dark eyes glittering with amusement at her predicament.

"This is your fault." She complained.

"I didn't make you drink, Bells. That was your choice."

"You left me!"

"I didn't want to." Jacob's mouth turned down in frustration. "I had some pack business to deal with."

"And it couldn't wait?"

"Bells, I-"

"Oh no!" Bella clamped her hand over her mouth again as her stomach lurched in protest. Quick as lightening, Jacob picked her up again and carried her back to the bathroom. He held her hair again, and rubbed her back while she emptied her stomach.

After she had brushed her teeth for a second time and drank some water, Jacob slipped one of his old t-shirts over her head. "There's another one to add to your collection." He said with an easy smile.

When he had carried her back to the twins old room and put her to bed, he walked off towards the door. Bella thought he was going to leave, but he didn't, he just locked the door, stripped off his t-shirt and then climbed into the bed next to her.

"Billy?" Bella asked.

"Said that he wasn't going to lose sleep watching over you in case you were sick in the night. That was my punishment." Jacob responded, laughing quietly. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. Bella snuggled closer to him. She tried to relax but couldn't stop thinking about her drunken conversation with Lily and the way the girls at the party kept throwing themselves at Jacob, especially Becky with the good hair. Before she knew what happened, she'd started to cry.

"What's wrong, Bells?" Jacob asked worriedly. "Do you feel sick again?"

"No...I'm sorry, Jake." She sucked in a deep breath.

"Tell me what's wrong, Bells?" He pleaded. "I really want to know."

"No you don't."

"I do." Jacob coaxed her gently. "Please tell me what's wrong."

Bella sniffed and hid her face against his arm. "You've got this whole other life."

"What?" Jacob turned her around to face him. He put one finger under her chin and raised her head so she was forced to look into his eyes. The way he stared at her made her feel weightless. "What do you mean by that?"

"All those people at the party...all those girls...you've never spoken of them before." Bella faltered, feeling her traitorous skin blush under his intense scrutiny. "I don't like that Becky with the good hair."

"Do you want to know why I took you to that party?" Jacob asked, with a half smile that made his face look more beautiful than ever.

"I don't know." Bella said sulkily.

"To try and make you jealous." He explained.

"What? Why?" Bella gasped.

"Sometimes I don't think you really _see _me, Bells. To you I'm just good old reliable Jake. Always there. Always at your beck and call. You treat me like your pet dog or something. I wanted to show you that other girls want me, even if you don't." Jacob stated, frowning. "I was hoping that it would open your eyes and make you realise you wanted me as much as I want you. But it didn't work. You got drunk and I had to keep leaving to deal with stupid pack business. It was a dumb idea and I'm sorry." He apologised sadly.

"Jake, I'm..." Bella choked out.

"You need to sleep." Jacob cut in before she could say anymore. He sighed, kissing the top of her head and pulling his arms tighter around her. Bella tucked her face into the crook of his neck, feeling deeply ashamed of herself. They lay there in silence for quite some time.

After about half an hour, she raised her head and looked at him. Jacob had fallen asleep and looked really peaceful and sweet, and not to mention hot. She'd never really allowed herself to look at him _that_ way. Her eyes moved to his chest. He really was incredible and had a perfect six pack. She reached out one finger and traced the lines of muscles on his stomach, just wondering what they felt like.

He shivered under her touch. "I'm feeling a little violated." He teased, making Bella jump and snatch her hand back quickly.

"I'm sorry." She apologised hastily, looking like a little girl who had gotten her hand caught in the cookie jar.

"Hey, I was joking." Jacob assured her. "You can touch me whenever you want."

"I wasn't...I didn't..." Bella shook her head in denial, blushing.

"Stop stressing. It's just me, Bells. Just Jake. There's nothing to be scared of."

"I'm not scared!" Bella pouted.

"If you say so, honey." Jacob laughed and gently caught hold of her pouty bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger. "If the wind changes you'll get stuck like that." He joked, running his thumb along her lip.

Bella remembered her earlier drunken impulse at the party, when she had wanted to lick him like an ice pop. She gave into the impulse this time and stuck out her tongue and licked his thumb playfully, expecting him to pull away and say it was disgusting. He didn't. Instead, he made a little moaning sound in the back of his throat. The sound made something deep inside of her tingle and throb.

Slowly, he moved his head closer to hers and then stopped, his lips were a few millimetres away from hers. She couldn't breathe, her heart was racing, not with panic or nerves, but because she realised she wanted him to kiss her. Jacob seemed to be waiting for her to give him some kind of sign to say it was okay. Bella gulped and closed the distance, pressing her lips lightly to his. It felt like he gave her a shock, her whole body started to tingle this time, and throb with the need for him to touch her. Butterflies took off in her stomach, but she knew it wasn't because of the alcohol.

_This is what she wanted. She wanted Jacob Black._

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Five**

Jacob responded immediately to her soft kiss by pulling Bella closer to him and running his hands down her back. He was so warm. Bella raised her arms and put them around his neck, tangling her fingers in his silky black hair. His lips were soft and seemed to fit so perfectly with hers. Jacob sucked lightly on her bottom lip and she opened her mouth, not really knowing what to expect from her first proper kiss. She always had to be so careful with Edward. Kissing Jacob was on a whole other level. He slipped his tongue in her mouth and massaged hers slowly, tenderly. The taste of him was amazing; her whole body was burning, wanting more.

Suddenly, he pulled away, making Bella whimper and wonder what she had done wrong. He turned to look toward the closed door, listening intently. Then Bella finally heard it-a slight groaning sound.

"It's Dad." Jacob slipped out of the bed and quickly unlocked the door. "I'll be back." He lingered in the doorway, throwing a sweet smile in Bella's direction before leaving the room.

Bella settled back down to wait for him, her lips still tingling from their passionate kisses. It wasn't long before he was back. She heard the door open again and the bed dipped as he climbed in beside her.

"Is Billy okay?" She whispered.

"He's fine. He suffers from cramps in his legs sometimes and he gets stuck in an awkward position. He just needs help to move." Jacob whispered back.

"But what happens when you're not here?" Bella felt guilt consume her. Jacob spent most nights with her now. Who was looking out for Billy?

"One of the pack usually pops in to check on him for me." Jacob replied in a low voice. "I always make sure he's taken care of, Bells."

"But I'm the one taking you away from him." Bella's face burned with shame at how selfish she had been lately. Not once had she given any thought to Billy and how he would cope with his son being gone so much.

"Hey, stop that! My Dad understands that I've got responsibilities elsewhere. That's why the others help out when they can. They were doing that long before I started staying overnight with you."

Bella looked back to Jacob, who smiled his beautiful smile at her and pressed his lips back on to hers, making the tingle come back instantly. His hand slid down her side slowly as he slipped his tongue back into her mouth, his taste exploding onto her taste buds. He reached the bottom of his t-shirt that she was wearing and slipped his hand underneath, running his hand up her thigh and touching her hip. His fingers grazed the curve of her ass. Bella's skin seemed to be burning wherever he touched.

It was at this point that she snapped back into reality. This was all going way too fast. She pulled her head back and put her hand on top of his to stop it moving further up her top.

"Oh, sorry. Too fast, right?" Jacob asked, looking a little guilty. "You're just too irresistible."

Bella nodded, trying to get her breath back and calm her body down. "Maybe we should just get some sleep." She suggested breathily.

"Good idea." Jacob gave her a huge smile and moved away from her slightly and laid on his back, pulling her tightly into his side.

* * *

Bella woke in the morning with a pounding headache. She could hear her cell phone ringing somewhere nearby. She stretched out her hand to get it, but couldn't reach it. She stretched some more and managed to knock it onto the bed so she could answer it.

"Hello." She yawned.

"Bells! Where are you? You were supposed to be home an hour ago." Charlie's angry voice shouted. She winced away from the sound and tried to get up, but Jacob's heavy arm was pinning her to the bed. His leg was thrown over hers and he was using her back as a pillow.

"Dad." She croaked, wondering what the time was.

"You do sound bad." The anger left Charlie's voice. "Billy told me you were feeling under the weather."

"Yeah." Bella mumbled. "My throat is pretty sore and my head's aching. I slept in. I'm sorry."

"Yeah...well...that's understandable I suppose." Charlie conceded. "But I think you should head on home now and rest here. I don't want poor Billy catching your cold."

"I will." Bella promised hoarsely.

"Okay. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Dad." Bella cut off the call and moaned as the hammers in her head began to chip away at her skull.

Jacob opened one eye. "Its Saturday...can't he let us lie in for one minute."

"He thinks I'm ill." Bella wriggled a little and pushed her cell phone back onto the side. "Dad says I need to get home fast."

Jacob sighed in annoyance and buried his face into her back. "I'm too comfortable to move." He muttered, rolling off of her and onto his back.

Bella turned to look at him; he was wearing his trademark smirk. "Your t-shirt's ridden up a bit there. Want me to get that for you?" He asked, looking down at her backside.

Bella quickly shot her hands down to feel his t-shirt she was wearing had ridden up almost to her waist. He now had a clear view of her ass. "You are such a perv." She retorted, yanking the t-shirt back down.

"I'm only teasing." Jacob said, his dark eyes twinkling with mirth. He was really happy and it showed.

Bella wasn't quite sure where they stood after last night, but she decided she had the right to tease him a little. It's not like he hadn't seen her in her underwear. He had seen enough last night while she was being sick in said underwear. The memory made her head pound harder and she swallowed thickly.

"I'm going to get ready." She mumbled, clambering out of the bed. When she had planted both feet firmly on the floor, she stripped off his t-shirt, and flung it at him. It landed on his head, cutting off his view of her completely. With a quiet giggle at his shocked face she grabbed the clothes she had been wearing the night before and bolted for the bathroom.

* * *

Jacob was sitting on the bed waiting for her when she came back twenty minutes later. She'd had a quick shower, dried off and pulled on the same clothes she wore for the party. She smiled at him shyly as he stood up and walked toward her. Suddenly his hot breath was blowing down her neck, making her whole body break out into goose bumps.

"So, am I allowed to touch you today?" He asked.

Was he really asking for her permission? Bella gazed at him; he was standing directly in front of her in just a pair of cut off denim shorts, looking so damn gorgeous he couldn't possibly be real.

"Um..I don't know. Do you want to?" She asked, suddenly feeling unsure of herself. She couldn't understand why she was so nervous. It was just Jacob-she had known him forever-but now things had changed. Last night had been her first real kiss. She bet she sucked royally at it.

Jacob's eyes locked on hers. Bella felt her stomach do a flip. She stiffened as he slowly lifted his hands, giving her the chance to stop him, he placed them gently on her hips. HIs touch sent a thousand butterflies to her stomach. He pulled her forwards into his chest, and trailed his fingers slowly around to her back, one hand going up to hold the back of her head and the other hand tickling its way downwards. He brushed his hand over her ass gently, just once, before bringing it back up and putting it on the small of her back. His eyes didn't leave hers the whole time. Nervous excitement raced through her body and she stood there, frozen, not really knowing what she should do. It was so totally new. There was no way she could be as close to Edward like this. He wouldn't have been able to cope and would have pushed her away by now. With Jacob there were no boundaries and it made what was happening between them even more thrilling, and a bit scary, but in a good way. He bent his head slowly and she felt her eyes widen, waiting for his soft lips to make contact with hers.

Just as they were about to kiss Billy called out for Jacob to help him. Jacob scowled, turning his head to glare at the door. Bella felt her heart rate slowly return back to normal rate as she came back to reality. "I really should go." She said.

Jacob sighed and let her go. "I suppose. Let me get my old man ready and then I'll drive you home."

Bella gave him another shy smile as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Thank you."

* * *

When Jacob dropped her home he was reluctant to let her go. He worried that as soon as she was out of his sight that she might change her mind and regret what had happened between them. As they said their goodbyes on the front porch he couldn't help but pull her toward him, bending his head and kissing her, wrapping his arms tightly around her. He sucked lightly on her lower lip and she gladly opened her mouth, eager to taste him again. To her he tasted even better than before, probably because she was still half drunk when they had kissed last night so she couldn't appreciate it as much. His kissing was beautiful and was sending ripples of desire racing through her body.

Finally, Jacob pulled away and they were both breathless. He looked deeply into her eyes seeking reassurance. Bella gave it to him by touching his face gently with her fingertips, smiling contentedly at him.

"Thank you for looking out for me last night." She said.

"You're welcome."

"Well, I better go in." Bella looked toward the front door.

Jacob didn't want to let her go. It was with extreme effort that he managed to prise his arms away from her. "Okay. So...I'll see you later?" He ended on a question.

"Okay."

"You know we should go on a date." Jacob suggested as she moved to open the door.

"A date?" Bella paused, mulling the idea over in her head. Going on a date made it kind of official. She wasn't sure she was ready for that. Everything was going too fast, she wanted to slow down a bit and just breathe. "We'll see."

"You don't want to?" He asked uncertainly.

"I don't know." Bella shrugged helplessly. "Maybe."

"I'm not going to hurt you, Bells." Jacob said quietly. "I've been crazy about you since the first time I saw you. I've never looked at another girl. It's only been you." He looked at the floor like a lost boy and she couldn't breathe.

Bella stared at him. He continued to look at her pleadingly, he was hurting she could tell by his face, but she didn't know what to do. If she took a chance she knew she could fall in love with him and there was a good chance he could break her heart just like Edward had done. But he wasn't Edward, she had to remind herself of that. He had been a constant in her life and she needed him, she needed him like she needed air to breathe.

Jacob stepped forward and took her face in his hands and bent his face to hers and kissed her, tenderly. Bella knew the decision had been made; this really wasn't something she could think through and reason out the pros and cons. When Jacob kissed her, everything seemed right and whole, just like it should be. She kissed him back, pressing into his chest.

"Okay, we'll go on that date." She finally agreed when the kiss was over.

* * *

When she let herself inside the house, Bella was still feeling giddy from Jacob's kisses. He had been so ecstatic that she had finally agreed to go out on an official date with him, that he had kissed her passionately, leaving her breathless. The endorphins rushing through her brain had eased her painful hangover. Floating into the kitchen she found Charlie standing next to the counter with a mug of coffee in his hands. She took it from him and sat down at the table.

"I just made that." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Thanks." Bella murmured. She was still thinking about Jacob.

Charlie mumbled something under his breath as he made himself another coffee and picked up the toast he had made for himself for breakfast. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes." Bella gave him a weak smile as she stood up and drifted toward him. She took the plate of toast out of his hands and went back to the table. "Thanks for the toast." She said as she lifted a slice to her lips.

Charlie just threw his hands up in the air in defeat. He turned and put more bread into the toaster. "So you made a new friend at the party." He said with his back to her.

Bella stopped chewing and froze in her seat. "What? How do you know?"

Charlie glanced over his shoulder and gave her a long look. "Some girl called Lily Brown called this morning. She said she met you at the party. She left a number so you could call her back."

Lily had called? Bella was stumped for a second how the other girl even had her number, but then remembered she had told her that she was Charlie's daughter. Other memories began to filter back in-one of Jacob attacking Lily's brother Trent because he thought that he was assaulting her or something. And her babbling to Lily about Edward. How could she forget about that? She felt her head begin to pound again.

"I might call her now." She mumbled as she pushed the toast away. She suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Six**

"Oh, Bella, I am so glad you rang back. I was so worried about you." Lily said breathlessly on the other end of the line.

"Why?" Bella was confused as to why the other girl would be so concerned about her welfare. They barely knew each other.

"Because Jacob was going to beat the crap out of Trent." Lily continued anxiously.

"That was...a...um misunderstanding." Bella mumbled. She remembered Jake pinning Trent against the wall, but then she had run off to be sick.

"Some misunderstanding, girl!" Lily wasn't happy. "Jacob was shouting at my brother to keep his filthy hands off you. He got in quite a good punch before his friends appeared and broke it up. Then after that he just disappeared and so did you."

"Oh...I'm sorry about that." Bella replied guiltily. "Is your brother okay?"

"He'll live." Lily conceded grudgingly.

"Tell Trent I'm sorry. I know he was only trying to help. Please don't blame Jake. He's just very protective of me."

"Yeah, right!" Lily drawled sarcastically.

"Lily, please, it's true. I know what it looked like but it's not what you think. Jake's a good guy. He's always having to pull me out of scrapes. I can be a klutz and am bit of a danger magnet." Bella pleaded frantically.

"So you're making excuses for the guy now. Seriously, Bella, you are like the text book victim of a controlling boyfriend. Jake may be hot but he's got you exactly where he wants you. I don't like that."

Bella frowned, beginning to get angry that Lily wasn't even willing to give Jake a break. She had already formed an opinion of him and was stubbornly sticking to it. "Look, you know nothing about him or me. We got drunk together at a party once and that's it. So I'd appreciate it if you mind your own business in future."

"Bella-"

"Goodbye." Bella slammed the phone down, cutting Lily off before she could say anymore.

* * *

It was late afternoon before Bella realised. When she saw the time she got changed quickly and walked out to the car. Jacob was there, leaning casually against it, his face breaking out into his beautiful smile when she reached him.

"You look beautiful." He said with honesty shining in his eyes.

Bella couldn't help but smile, he was full of the compliments today. She pushed the memory of her strained conversation with Lily to the back of her mind. The other girl had tried contacting her several times since, but Bella had ignored her.

"So, where do you want to go?" Jacob asked as he opened the car door for her.

"Um...I don't mind, what do you fancy?" She asked.

Jacob shot her a wicked smile, making Bella roll her eyes at him. "To eat, Jake." She added, crossing her arms over her chest, trying to look stern.

Jacob laughed and started driving. "How about we take a ride into Port Angeles and decide when we're there?" He asked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"That's a good idea." Bella smiled causing Jacob to break out into another happy grin as he reached for her hand.

* * *

After dithering for a while as they considered their choices, Jacob and Bella were now sitting happily, eating their food. They had been chatting for nearly an hour and Bella was reminded again how easy it was to talk to Jake. She'd known him off and on for most of her life-their friendship had always been as easy as breathing-but she found herself opening up more about personal stuff. She felt his leg brush hers under the table and it made her jump, not because she was startled, but because it sent a little jolt through her system, making the hairs on the back of her neck prick up and her pulse quicken.

Feeling more relaxed, Bella decided to be as honest as she could with him and tell him what was on her mind. There was only one other couple in the restaurant they had chosen so they could talk freely, but she just didn't know where to begin.

"Jake, I think we need to talk about something." She said quietly.

Jacob cocked his head to the side slightly and looked at her curiously. "Okay, what's up?"

Bella took a deep breath. She just needed to get it out and see what he thought about it. "I really don't know what you want from me; I mean, you can have any girl that you want. I'm an emotional wreck for goodness sake...I'm not sure I can give you what you want." She rambled. She frowned, that came out a little different than she thought, but she hoped she got her point across.

"I know that you're anxious, Bella. I can see that you're scared. And I get it." Jacob stated, looking at her knowingly, not seeming to be bothered by this conversation at all. "And I can tell that this isn't just about your emotional state...you're worried about sex."

Bella gulped as her face grew warm with embarrassment. Trust Jake to get right to the heart of the matter. "I just...I'm not ready for anything like that, so if that's what you want then there really is no point in starting anything." She continued in a low voice, staring down at her plate and wishing the ground would swallow her up.

Jacob put his hand under her chin and lifted her face up to look at his; he was smiling affectionately. "I can wait as long as you want. I really am crazy about you, it's not about sex." He said tenderly, making Bella's heart race.

"What if I said I didn't believe in sex before marriage?" She asked, testing him a little.

Jacob's dark eyes danced with amusement. "Then I'd say how about we get married as soon as I'm old enough. Eighteen is the legal age, right?" He said, smirking.

Bella laughed. "You are such an idiot."

Jacob's expression turned serious. "Look, Bells, I can wait as long as you need. I want to be with you." He looked her right in the eyes as he spoke.

Bella didn't see one ounce of doubt or trickery there and she felt hope building up inside her. Was he really that into her that he would wait? For the first time she actually began to hope that she could move on from Edward.

"Listen to me, honey." Jacob continued as he took her hand. "No other girl compares to you. When they laugh or talk, I can't help but compare it to your voice or your laugh. It's always been you; it'll always be you, Bells."

Bella couldn't speak. What on earth could she say to that? That speech was so freaking adorable. It was so much better than anything eloquent Edward used to say. "Oh." She mumbled, blushing.

Jacob busted up laughing. "Oh? That's all you can say?"

Bella nodded and laughed along with him. She still had no words to answer that little confession he'd just made. Her head was still spinning and she knew if she said something now she would just sound like an idiot. She squeezed his hand, he smiled happily at her and that seemed to be all that was necessary.

Her cell phone rang, saving them from the slightly weird silence. It wasn't an awkward silence though, just strange, like Jacob seemed perfectly content just to hold her hand and look at her. The caller ID showed an unknown number.

"Hello." Bella said cheerfully as she kept her eyes on Jacob.

"Bella, it's Lily, please don't hang up."

Bella sighed in frustration. "How did you get my cell phone number?"

"Your dad passed it on to me." Lily confessed. "I said it was urgent, so..."

Jacob was attempting to steal some food from her plate while she was preoccupied. Bella slapped his hand away. "What?" He mouthed at her innocently. She rolled her eyes and passed him her plate.

"I've got nothing to say to you, Lily." Bella said shortly.

"Bella, please?" Lily begged again. "I'm sorry for what I said. I realise now I was out of order. Can we start again?"

"I don't know..." Bella hedged. She noticed Jacob watching her curiously. Of course he could hear the entire conversation. "I'm really busy right now. Can we talk about this another time?"

"Is Jacob with you? Is that why?" Lily lowered her voice.

"Yes he is." Bella said boldly. "We're on a date and you're kinda interrupting."

"Maybe we can all meet up?" Lily suggested hurriedly. "I can meet him. He can meet me. We could all get to know each other."

Lily was beginning to sound desperate. It sent alarm bells ringing in her head. She vaguely recalled Trent telling off his sister at the party for dragging people into her messes. Bella decided she had enough messes of her own to deal with, without being dragged into more.

"I'm sorry, Lily." She said curtly. "We had fun at the party, but I don't think meeting up again will be a good idea. I'll see you around. Bye."

"What was that all about?" Jacob asked with his mouth full when she ended the call.

"That was the sister of the guy you had a confrontation with at the party."

"Oh, that guy!" Jacob shrugged, frowning. "He deserved it."

"Jake, I know you were trying to look out for me but he wasn't harassing me or anything. He was helping me up. I remember hearing him ticking off Lily." Bella explained. "Can I ask you something?"

"Okay." Jacob said cautiously.

"What were the rest of the pack doing at the party?"

"Oh...that." Jacob relaxed as he sat back in his seat. "Sam heard rumours that some troublemakers were going to gate crash it. So he thought it would be a good idea to keep an eye from a distance. He was proved right. But we managed to head them off so it was all good."

"You weren't joking when you said once that Sam and the others were like hall monitors on steroids." Bella smiled at the memory of how scared Jacob had been of being forced to join Uley's _cult_ once upon a time.

"It's not only vampires we protect the tribe from." Jacob agreed in a low voice.

"You're amazing. Did you know that?" Bella said fondly.

"Of course I am." Jacob boasted, wearing his trademark smirk again.

They gazed at each other for a long while without speaking until they were snapped back into reality by the waiter asking them if they were ready for dessert.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Seven**

Jacob reached across the table and snatched some of Bella's chocolate cake. "Hey!" She scolded him, hitting his hand with the back of her spoon.

Jacob just grinned at her as he chewed happily. "That was so worth it."

Bella rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Is that an invitation?" Jacob asked, raising an eyebrow.

Bella instantly realised what he was talking about. He was asking if she wanted to kiss him again because she showed him her tongue. She ignored the blush burning her cheeks and shot him a teasing smile, wondering if he would actually dare to do it. "Sure."

She should have guessed that he wouldn't need any encouragement. He immediately jumped out of his chair and bent down next to her, taking her face in his hands and kissing her, not seeming to care where they were or if people were watching. Feeling bold Bella decided to take the initiative this time and traced her tongue along his bottom lip. He moaned slightly and pulled her closer to him. The kiss was so good that it was making her dizzy. Eventually he smiled against her lips and pulled away.

"Thanks." He whispered, kissing her again quickly and then sitting back down opposite her as if nothing happened.

Bella wasn't used to this whole dating and making out in public thing. She felt her blush deepen when she noticed the only other couple in the restaurant looking their way in amusement; the girl appeared slightly envious as she discreetly ogled Jacob from a distance.

"I suppose we better get going." Jacob pulled her attention back to him. "I need to speak to Charlie."

"You're not going to tell him, are you?" Bella asked, horrified at the thought of Charlie knowing and interrogating her about it.

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, Bells. Jeez, your old man has known that I've liked you all this time. It's not going to exactly be a surprise to him. But you know he thinks we're just friends and he didn't think you liked me back that way, so I need to actually talk to him about us dating." He winced as he spoke; he was imagining the lecture Charlie would give him.

"Jake, why don't we just leave that for a while, and then maybe in a couple of weeks, if everything is going well, then we can talk to him together. I mean, we don't know if it's going to work out, do we?" Bella asked with a shrug.

She didn't really see the point in talking to Charlie and upsetting everything if it wasn't going to work out. She was still pretty messed up emotionally and wanted to take things one day at a time. Edward's abandonment was still pretty raw, she trusted Jacob completely, but there were so many other things going on in their lives-like a certain vengeful red headed vampire for one.

For the first time Jacob looked a little vulnerable. "You don't think it will work out?" He asked, his voice sounding hurt.

"Honestly? I don't know. I've just been living from day to day for so long, and with Victoria still hanging around, I just panic when I think of the future." Bella swallowed thickly and lowered her voice. "And I know you said you were okay with waiting, but how long is it gonna be before you've had enough. You're an amazing guy with a long line of girls throwing themselves at you-I saw that at the party."

"I promise I would never cheat on you, ever. I've waited too long for this chance; I'm not going to screw it up." Jacob took her hand and she could see the honesty in his eyes, he truly believed he wouldn't cheat or get bored of waiting, but he was a teenage boy after all and his body would say something else eventually.

"Let's just wait a while, okay." Bella suggested, pulling her hand away and signalling to the waiter to bring the check.

"I just need to use the bathroom." Jacob muttered as he threw some money on the table and quickly walked away.

Bella winced; she could see that she had really hurt his feelings saying that. Damn it, she could be so stupid sometimes! Jacob was not Edward, she had to keep reminding herself that even if he broke things off with her, he would never leave.

Jacob seemed to have got over his hurt when he came back to join her after a couple of minutes. They paid the bill and left. "I'm sorry for what I said. It kinda came out wrong." Bella apologised when they reached the car.

Jacob smiled at her and stroked her face lightly. "I hate that you have doubts, but I understand, Bells." He slipped his hand in hers and she held on to it tightly. It felt so right for some reason; his hand just seemed to fit hers perfectly. It was so natural that it was almost too easy.

* * *

Bella slept in the next morning. She wandered down the stairs slowly, yawning. She liked Sundays. They were her favourite day of the week. She walked into the kitchen to find Charlie eating her breakfast again. Every freaking day! She frowned at him disapprovingly as she snatched the bowl of cereal out of his hands and settled down at the table.

"Hey, that was mine, kiddo." Charlie grumbled.

"Yeah, right." Bella crunched on the cornflakes as she chewed.

"So...what are your plans for today?" He asked grudgingly as he shoved some bread into the toaster.

"I'm not sure." Bella sighed. She already knew that she wouldn't see much of Jacob. Sam had them all running extra patrols. Jacob had climbed out of her window at three in the morning, with heavy eyes and a reluctant kiss goodbye.

"You didn't say much about that party." Charlie couldn't be more obvious if he tried. Bella watched as he carried his toast and his mug of coffee over to the table and sat down opposite her. "I know you had a cold, but you must have enjoyed yourself a little bit."

"It was okay."

"It must have been nice to do something a little teenagery." Charlie prompted her.

Was _teenagery _even a word? Bella gazed at him dubiously. He was fishing for information, she didn't know what she was supposed to say. If she told him the truth, that she ended up getting completely wasted, he would end up grounding her for life.

"There's not much to tell, Dad."

"I'm just glad to see you going out again, Bells." Charlie reached for his coffee but Bella got to it first. "You know that was mine."

"Was it?" Bella looked at him innocently. "I thought you made it for me."

Charlie gave her a _'what the heck'_ look as he got up and made himself another coffee. He sat back down only to find his daughter polishing off the last of the toast. He stared at her in disbelief. If it wasn't for that fact that he was stoked that she was finally eating properly again, after half starving herself when she was mourning the end of her relationship to that prick, Cullen, he would have called her out on it.

"You at least made a new friend. That Lily sounds nice."

Bella stiffened, suddenly looking hunted. "I don't really know her all that well. And I didn't appreciate you giving her my cell number." She added.

"I didn't think it would be a problem." Charlie frowned as he raised the mug of coffee to his lips. He blew on the steaming liquid. "Is there something I should know?"

"Nothing at all." Bella stood up. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Don't use all the hot water." Charlie called out after her.

But of course she did.

* * *

Bella's cell phone rang as she cleaned the house. Charlie was snoozing on the sofa, the local paper hanging open on his lap. She checked the caller ID, making sure that it was a number she recognised. It was Angela.

"Hi, Ange!" She said, sounding overly cheerful in her relief. "What's up?"

"You're in a good mood." Angela said in surprise.

"Cleaning always puts me in a good mood." Bella replied lamely

"Really?" Angela sounded completely bemused. "Okay...um...can I ask a favour?"

"Sure, sure." Bella said, borrowing one of Jacob's phrases.

"Well my mom and dad are going away for a couple of days, and taking my little brothers with them, so do you think it would be alright if I just slept at yours tonight and tomorrow night? I don't really want to stay on my own." She finished in a small voice.

Bella bit down on her bottom lip and winced. If Angela stayed over that meant that Jacob couldn't, because she slept on the camp bed on her bedroom floor."Um, sure, Angela, you can stay over. My Dad won't mind." She agreed reluctantly.

It was true. Charlie would love it. He seemed to be getting a kick out of her doing ordinary teenagery things.

"Great. We'll I'll come over at about seven then, okay?" Angela chirped, sounding excited.

"Yeah. See you then." Bella ended the call and sighed heavily.

_Now she just had to tell Jacob._

* * *

Jacob made an irritated sound in the back of his throat when she finally managed to contact him a few hours later. "No." He complained.

"I can't say no to her. She's one of my best friends." Bella said apologetically.

"It's two days, Bells. Two whole days!" Jacob whined like a little kid.

"I couldn't say no. Her parents are going away for a couple of days and she doesn't want to stay on her own."

Jacob sighed in defeat. "Okay, but you do know that I won't be there to comfort you if you have one of your nightmares."

Bella gasped. She hadn't thought about that! She didn't sleep very well without Jacob there. Even after all these months she still suffered with nightmares, bad ones, not so much about Edward anymore, Victoria was usually the one sending her cowering in fear in her dreams. On the few times that Jacob wasn't able to stay with her overnight, her dreams would be so bad that she would wake up screaming.

"What am I going to do?" She whispered.

"It might not be so bad." Jacob said cautiously.

"I hope not." Bella pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm going to miss you." She admitted.

"Hey, I can still come over later. I can bring Embry with me. I would ask Quil, but you know Ateara, he might be a bit too much. We don't want to scare your friend off." He laughed.

"That's true. I'll see you around seven?"

"Seven it is." Jacob agreed. "Bye, honey."

"Bye, Jake." Bella felt a bit better when the call was over. At least she would get to see Jacob for a little while. That was better than nothing. She giggled at the thought of Charlie having to deal with a house full of teenagers. He just thought it was going to nice, quiet Angela. Boy, was he in for a surprise!

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thanks for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Eight**

Angela arrived promptly at seven o'clock. She carried a small bag and something else-a horror movie. Quiet, shy Angela Weber was actually a horror buff.

"Hi, Bella." Angela put her bag down and reached out to hug Bella. "I thought we could watch some movies."

"That's great, Angela." Bella said nervously. She wasn't a fan of horror films. Her whole life felt like one right now. "What one did you bring?"

"And oldie but definitely a classic...Shaun of the Dead."

"Oh...isn't that about zombies or something?"

"Yes...its full of blood and gore but it's funny, too. You'll love it, Bella." Angela enthused.

"Hello, Angela." Charlie popped his head out of the kitchen. "It's nice to see you. Can I get you a drink or something to eat? I could order pizza."

Angela gave Charlie a polite smile. "I'm all good, Chief Swan."

"Call me Charlie."

Angela ducked her head shyly. "Thank you very much...Charlie."

Bella rolled her eyes as Charlie nodded his head in satisfaction. Angela was ticking all the right boxes as far as he was concerned. He smiled at Bella. "I'll order that pizza then, shall I, kiddo?"

"Order six." Bella replied.

"Six?" Charlie's voice went up a notch in surprise. "There's only three of us."

"Actually there's gonna be five." Bella decided now was a good time to drop the truth bomb on him. "Jake's coming over and he's bringing Embry with him. And you know how much those boys can put away."

"Why wasn't I told about this before?" Charlie grumbled as he looked in his wallet. "This is going to cost me a fortune."

"Doing teenagery things comes at a cost, Dad." Bella joked as she grabbed Angela's hand and pulled her up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Oh, please, let me contribute to the cost, Bella." Angela pleaded when Bella closed the door.

"Don't be silly."

"But your dad looked so shocked. I'm already imposing. I don't want to make him spend money he doesn't have."

Bella tried not to smile. Charlie was just being Charlie. He was well known for being a tight ass. Instead she put a reassuring hand on her friend's arm. "It's fine. You don't need to worry. Put your bag over there. The camp bed is already set up."

"This is so kind of you, Bella. I really hated the thought of having to be alone in my house." Angela set her bag down on the camp bed and began to pull out some clothes.

Bella noticed that she had forgotten to get another pillow for Angela. She grabbed a spare one from her own bed. "Here take this." She offered.

"Thanks, Bella." Angela dumped the empty bag on the floor and threw herself down on the bed. Suddenly she rolled over and grabbed the pillow and frowned at it, looking confused. "Why does your pillow smell so...I can't describe it..." She struggled to find the right words. "Whatever it is its gorgeous."

Bella could feel her nerves bubbling up. That was the pillow Jacob used. "Um...I don't know."

Angela buried her face in the pillow and inhaled deeply. "Yes, I am definitely sleeping with this one tonight." She said, holding the pillow tight.

Bella tried not to choke on her laughter. Angela was being so weird. "Whatever."

Who knew that Jacob's scent was so intoxicating?

There was a knock on the front door. Jacob and Embry had finally arrived. Bella pushed herself up from the bed and practically skipped down the stairs to answer the front door. Angela followed more slowly. As soon as she opened the door, she was engulfed in a bear hug. Jacob spun her around, laughing. He put her down and bent his head to kiss her, before pulling up sharply as he remembered that they were still keeping things on the down low. His lips landed on her forehead instead.

"Hey, Bells." He said.

"Hey, Jake." Bella replied breathlessly, eyes shining.

"Are you going to introduce us, Bella?" Embry laughed as he stepped out from behind Jacob.

"Hey, Em." Bella reluctantly tore her eyes away from Jacob and smiled at him in greeting. "Embry this is Angela. Angela this is Embry. You've met Jake before." She said to her friend.

"Nice to meet you." Embry held out his hand toward Angela. She took it, gifting him with one of her shy smiles. His widened as he studied her with interest. "So you go to the same school as Bella?"

"Yes." Angela whispered, peeking up at him from under her eyelashes.

"Do you have the same classes?" Embry asked when Angela failed to respond with a question of her own. She was completely overwhelmed.

"Don't interrogate the poor girl, Em." Jacob teased lightly.

"I'm just making friendly conversation." Embry smiled charmingly at Angela, making her cheeks turn rosy. "You don't mind do you, Angela?"

"No." She murmured shyly.

"The pizzas are coming." Charlie appeared out of the kitchen, frowning when he saw Jacob and Embry standing in the hall with the two girls. "Oh, you're here already. I ordered extra for you two." He added grudgingly.

"That's awesome, Charlie." Jacob's dark eyes twinkled with mirth.

"Humpf." Charlie huffed as he disappeared back into the kitchen.

Bella locked eyes with Jacob and they both began to laugh. "So what's the plan for tonight?" He asked.

"I brought this." Angela said, perking up as she waved the DVD in front of them all.

Bella stared at it, her laughter dying on her lips. Even the cover scared her. She took a deep breath, avoiding everyone's eyes as she led the way into the front room. Jacob sat down on the sofa and Bella sat down next to him. He put his hand down onto the sofa next to hers and discreetly rubbed his little finger across hers when no one was looking.

"We'll put the film on when the food arrives." Bella said, shifting sideways on the seat so that her knee touched Jacob's thigh. An electric pulse seemed to jolt between them, and she saw a smile play at the corners of his mouth.

"So you're staying the night, Angela?" Embry asked. He had parked himself in the recliner across from Angela, who was sitting on the two-seater.

"Yes." Angela seemed reduced to one word answers where Embry was concerned. Her blush deepened the longer he looked at her.

"You like zombie films then?" Embry tried again.

"Yes." Angela mumbled.

Bella felt Jacob shift his weight closer to her so that her leg was on top of his more. They exchanged an amused glance, which was interrupted as Charlie stepped into the room. His gaze immediately fell on Embry who was lounging in his recliner. His eyes narrowed and he cuffed Embry on the back of the head.

"Move." He ordered.

"Ouch!" Embry touched his stinging scalp as he made way for the police chief.

Charlie took his place and relaxed, surveying the room as he did so. His keen gaze landed on Jacob and Bella. "Do you want to give my daughter some breathing room there, son." He said evenly when he noticed their legs pressed together. He stared at them until Jacob moved his leg.

Bella stared at her father in mortification. The whole room had fallen silent. Embry had dumped his butt next to Angela on the small two-seater, they were squashed together awkwardly, and Angela's face was practically burning. Charlie had picked up the remote and was now studying the DVD Angela had brought with her.

"Shaun of the Dead, huh? I don't think I've seen this one before." He mused aloud.

Bella felt her stomach drop. Charlie was talking as if he actually meant to stay and watch the movie with them. _No-he was just showing an interest-he'd leave soon. Wouldn't he?_ She prayed in her head. But when more minutes passed and her father didn't look like he was going to move, Bella felt her ears begin to ring. She tried to telepathically give her father a hint that perhaps he should give them all some space and let her get on with the teenagery things he had been banging on about for ages, but he stayed put.

"Anyone want a drink?" She announced suddenly, needing to break the awkward silence.

They all said yes, so she made her way to the fridge in the kitchen, grabbing four cans of soda. As she shut the fridge door, Jacob grabbed her from behind and made her turn around to look at him. He was standing so close she could feel his breath blow across her face.

"I'm missing you already." He whispered, kissing her lightly.

Bella threw her arms around his neck and he pulled her close, deepening the kiss, tangling his fingers in her hair. He stepped forward, making her move back, so her back was against the fridge as he pressed his body against hers.

"I think we should just talk to your dad now." He murmured against her lips.

Bella shook her head, looking at him pleadingly. "No, just a couple of weeks that's all I ask."

He smiled a small smile. "Okay, whatever you want."

He kissed her again, making her body tingle and yearn for more. Bella's insides were jumping for joy, her heart was beating so fast that it sounded loud to her ears, but her head was still warning her to be careful.

Jacob kissed her again and again, moaning slightly as he gripped her tighter to him. His passionate kisses were making Bella forget about the others waiting in the front room. Then suddenly he jumped away from her, moving to the side. She looked at him confused, had she done something wrong?

Just then Charlie came barrelling into the kitchen, giving them both a stern expression. "I can't deal with all the flirting going on in there." He said in disgust, referring to Embry's attempts to engage with Angela. "We were much more subtle in my day."

Jacob and Bella were saved from responding by the doorbell ringing. She rushed off to answer it, needing to get out of the room before Charlie noticed her flushed face and lips swollen from Jacob's ardent kisses.

* * *

After they ate Angela put on the stupid scary movie. Bella sat next to Jake, Charlie remained in his recliner, which meant Angela had to stay wedged next to Embry on the two-seater-much to his glee and Angela's continuing shyness around him. The movie was awful; Jacob slung his arm over the back of the sofa and was playing with Bella's hair discreetly which made it slightly more bearable. About half way through she was honestly so scared that she scooted right up next to Jacob and buried her face in his chest. She could see Charlie shooting daggers in their direction but she couldn't help it.

By the time the film ended she was almost on his lap, much to his enjoyment. She blushed slightly when she noticed everyone shooting curious looks in their direction. Damn, she was being too obvious.

Finally the stupid ass zombie movie was over and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was awesome." Angela breathed.

"Yeah, best movie I've seen in ages." Jacob agreed with a smirk. Bella knew he meant because she was practically sitting on him.

"I think it's time for you boys to be on your way. You've all got school tomorrow." Charlie cut in as he snapped on the lights and turned off the DVD.

Bella felt her face turn crimson with embarrassment. Charlie was treating them like they were all in kindergarten or something. She noticed Jacob and Embry smirking, while Angela was biting her bottom lip as she tried not to smile.

"I'll walk you out." Bella mumbled. She stalked out of the room with Jacob hot on her heels.

As soon as they were out of the view of the others Jacob pulled her toward him. Bella threw her arms around his waist tightly, burying her head into the side of his neck.

"I am so sorry about my dad." She apologised.

"Don't stress, Bells. At least I got to spend some time with you." He stated, putting his arms around her.

In the front room they could hear Embry saying his goodbyes to Angela and her shy response. "Em likes your friend." Jacob whispered close to her ear.

"She's dating Ben." Bella reminded him.

Jacob laughed at her annoyed expression. "Chill, Bells."

"Ben's a nice guy."

"And it's Angela's choice." He pointed out simply.

"I suppose." Bella agreed grudgingly.

Jacob gave her one of his sexy smiles. "I guess I better go. Don't worry I won't be too far away."

"You're the one watching over me tonight?" Bella couldn't stop the relief washing over her that he would still be close by.

"Yeah. Me and Em. Sleep tight, okay." Jacob pecked her on the lips quickly before letting go just as Embry and the others rounded the corner.

Jacob smiled at Bella from the door but it seemed kind of forced, she could tell it was almost hurting him to go. She smiled back and he shut the door. The moment the door closed her heart sank. The thought of having to spend two nights in her bed without him made her feel a little sick; it would have been horrendous even if they hadn't just got together, but now it actually felt like torture. She sighed and rejoined Angela and Charlie in the front room.

* * *

The night was awful. Bella went to bed terrified that she would have another nightmare, and when she did find sleep, she started to dream about the night James attacked her. The last time he had taken centre stage in her nightmare she had woken the whole house up with her screaming. Poor Charlie had done his best to comfort her, but neither of them got any sleep that night.

She jerked awake. She was crying. Crying so hard that she could barely breathe. Bella wiped her face with shaky hands and looked at the clock; it was almost two thirty in the morning. She reached over to hug Jake, but he wasn't there, he was outside guarding the house with Embry. God, she needed him! Bella slipped quietly out of bed, Angela was still fast asleep on the camp bed, hugging Jacob's pillow tightly to her chest.

Bella padded down the stairs and did her best to remain quiet as she unlocked the back door and tiptoed out into the night. The cool breeze blew her long hair off her hot neck. She was struggling to breathe as she clasped her shaking hands in front of her. She stood there waiting, seeming to instinctively know that Jacob would come to comfort her.

Bella only stood there for a few seconds before she saw him running towards her out of the night. He grabbed her into a hug, lifting her off her feet as he stepped back into the house. She wrapped her legs around his waist and gripped her arms tightly around his neck. Jacob immediately pressed his lips to her neck, nuzzling the skin gently with his lips until her body eventually relaxed. He moved to the front room and sat on the edge of the sofa still holding her tight. When she was calm Bella pulled back to look at his worried face.

"Another bad dream?" He asked.

Bella nodded and tucked her face into his neck.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jacob asked a couple of minutes later, stroking her back, soothingly.

"No." Bella's voice was husky from crying so much. Jacob nodded and continued to rub her back. "I'm sorry." She whispered, feeling guilty all over again.

"Stop apologising, honey. It's okay."

Bella raised her head and smiled at him sadly. "Want to stay with me down here for a little while? I could set the alarm on my phone. We could sleep here on the sofa." She suggested.

Jacob smiled and laid them down side by side. Bella grabbed her cell phone and set the alarm for five thirty. Charlie never got up before six. She settled back next to Jacob until their noses were practically touching. He draped his leg over hers and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

Bella smiled at him gratefully and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Goodnight, Jake." She closed her eyes contentedly, feeling safe and secure in his arms before falling instantly to sleep.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Nine**

Bella woke to the sound of her alarm. She opened her eyes, wondering for a minute why she was in the lounge, then she remembered the dream. Jacob was still asleep, as usual his arms and legs were all over her, pinning her down with his weight. She relaxed and looked at him for a few minutes before she decided to wake him up. Usually she just elbowed him or pushed him off of her, but this morning she decided she would be a little more creative.

She moved forward, pushing on his shoulder. Jacob rolled on his back obediently, not taking his arms off her, ending up dragging her along for the ride. Bella muffled a laugh as she raised herself up onto her hands and knees so that she was straddling him, before putting her weight back down on him. Since their first incredible kiss she was feeling more relaxed, which emboldened her to tease him a little. She stroked his handsome face a few times before she pressed her lips to his lightly.

Jacob sighed a little in his sleep so she kissed him again, a little harder and longer this time. He started to stir, his arms tightening around her automatically, clamping her to his chest even though he wasn't properly awake yet. Bella kissed him again and trailed her tongue along his bottom lip. That caught his attention; he opened his eyes, a smile playing about his lips.

"I hope you're going to wake me up like this from now on." He said, his voice husky with sleep.

"Maybe, if you're lucky." Bella teased.

Jacob put one hand on the back of her head and pulled her back down to kiss him, but she pulled away instead, making him groan. "You need to go, Jake." She avoided his grasp and sat up, still straddling him. She could feel his erection pressing against her core and it made her yearn for him in ways she hadn't thought about until now. Her cheeks grew warm.

Jacob smiled and put his hands on her knees and just looked at her sitting on top of him. He knew exactly what affect he was having on her, but he didn't say anything, but just continued to lay there with a big contented grin on his face.

Bella leaned forward and kissed him gently, before pulling away again. "You really need to go. Charlie could be getting up any minute."

He sighed and played with her fingers. "I really dislike your dad right now." He grumbled, pretending to be annoyed.

Bella laughed and got up from the sofa, reaching out for his hand, and doing her best to persuade him to move. Jacob finally acquiesced and rolled onto his feet.

"I'll see you later." He said, kissing her on the forehead, before leaving via the back door.

Bella snuck back to her room. Angela was still asleep so she crawled back into her bed, and went back to sleep.

* * *

Bella woke up to the sound of Charlie humming in the shower. She shook her head in disbelief as she glanced at Angela still asleep on the camp bed. Her friend was beginning to stir.

"Angela." She whispered.

Angela's eyes fluttered open and she stretched. "Morning, Bella."

"Morning." Bella replied as she watched her friend sit up and rub her eyes. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a baby." Angela stretched again and scooped up Jacob's pillow and hugged it to her chest. "Thanks again for letting me stay."

"No worries. It was fun...well until my dad decided to gatecrash." Bella frowned at the memory.

"My dad would have done the same, believe me." Angela shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"I think mine is just being a bit overprotective because..." Bella's voice tailed off. She really didn't want to think about her zombie days.

"It's okay, Bella." Angela assured her when she noticed Bella's distress. "I understand."

And that's why Angela was one of the few girls that she enjoyed being around. Bella shot her friend a grateful smile and slipped out of bed. "I wish we didn't have school today." She lamented.

"I know that sucks." Angela agreed as she swung her legs off the camp bed and rested her feet on the floor. She picked her cell phone up to check for messages. "Mom and Dad are having fun." She read as the first of several texts popped up on the screen. "My little brothers are driving them crazy, though."

Bella laughed along with Angela as she pulled on her dressing gown. Charlie was out of the shower now and was getting dressed in his room.

"Oh, I've got a text from Jess." Angela continued as she peered at her phone. "She wants to know if we want to go bowling tonight with some of the others."

_"We?"_ Bella asked dubiously. She wasn't exactly on good terms with Jessica, since the last time they had gone to the movies together, when she had ended up on the back of some random's motorcycle in a pathetic attempt to hear Edward's voice.

Angela's expression turned sympathetic. "You and Jess just need to spend some time together. Ben says he's up for it. Come on, Bella. You might enjoy it." She encouraged. "You could ask your friend Jacob to come along...and Embry." She tagged on at the end.

Bella noted the way Angela's voice cracked and the slight dusting of red on her cheeks when she spoke Embry's name. Maybe Jake was right and Embry's feelings weren't just one way. "I'll mention it." She said eventually. "They might be busy."

Angela tried to appear nonchalant but she didn't fool Bella. "It's no big deal. I just thought them being around might make you feel more at ease, that's all."

Bella decided to let her friend off the hook. Jacob was right. It was Angela's choice. It wasn't her place to interfere. "Come on, we should get ready for school. Would you like the first shower?"

"Thanks, Bella." Angela said with a faint smile as she grabbed her toiletry bag and left the bedroom.

* * *

Bella was regretting agreeing to the bowling thing when she and Angela turned up to find that Lauren-her one time nemesis-was part of the group. The others consisted of the usual crowd-Mike was there, along with Tyler, Ben, Eric, and of course Jessica. She prayed in her head that Jacob and Embry would be able to make it at some point, although Jacob hadn't sounded too sure when she'd asked him. Sam was intent on monopolising their time with his strict patrol schedules and didn't seem in the mood to give the boys a couple of hours off just so they could have fun.

Mike was eager to see her like always, running over immediately and giving her one of his puppy dog grins. The other boys were relaxed and friendly. Jessica was polite but formal, while Lauren glared at her with open hostility. Bella cringed as Mike offered to teach her to bowl. She knew she was terrible at bowling, and had planned just to stay on the sidelines and watch the others have fun. But Mike was insistent that he could turn her into a champion bowler if she just made the effort. His constant attention only served to wind Jessica up, so Lauren wasn't the only one giving her dirty looks as the evening progressed.

The night just continued to get worse when she spotted Lily and her brother, Trent, using one of the other lanes. It seemed like too much of a coincidence that they were there, and it made Bella feel very uncomfortable when Lily kept shooting tear filled glances in her direction.

Eventually she couldn't take it anymore. Bella made the excuse of needing the bathroom so she could just have a few minutes alone to think, but as soon as she turned the corner she realised that Trent was following her. She increased her pace, but as soon as she did, Trent sped up.

"Hey!" He called out to attract her attention. "Bella, wait up!"

"Damn." Bella closed her eyes in defeat, before turning around slowly to face him. "What do you want?"

Trent slowed down as he approached her. HIs fingers wandered to his hair and he pushed the long strands backwards, studying her carefully with his dark brown eyes. "Not too good at the bowling thing, huh?" He asked.

Bella shrugged. "No, I never did get the hang of it."

"I could teach you if you want." Trent smiled slowly. "I taught Lil."

"I've already got a teacher." Bella pointed out.

"That blonde guy?" Trent raised his eyebrows in mock horror. "Lily noticed that you seemed a bit uncomfortable around him. Clingy much?"

Bella swallowed thickly. "That's just how Mike is."

"And you just accept that?" Trent sounded incredulous. "If you don't want his attention, then just be straight with the guy. Its best to be direct."

"Excuse me, where do you get off telling me what to do?" Bella was beginning to get annoyed.

Trent's expression turned serious as he stepped closer. "I've seen the signs before." He stated seriously.

"What?" Bella exclaimed.

"Look, I had to watch Lil suffer at the hands of a controlling boyfriend. She's always been shy and found it difficult to stand up for herself and say no. I see the same thing in you."

"You know nothing about me." Bella said in disbelief. "I'm sorry your sister had such a bad experience but my situation is completely different."

"Really?" Trent retorted. "What about that guy who attacked me at the party, huh?"

"Leave Jacob out of this." Bella replied defensively. "You don't know anything about him."

"I know that he and those other guys he hangs with have got a reputation on the res. He attacked me at the party with no provocation. Do you really want to be around someone so hot tempered like that? He's dangerous." Trent warned her. "Seeing him hit me like that brought back bad memories for Lily. Her guy used to do the exact same thing...his excuse was that he was doing it to protect her. But it was just another form of control."

"Again, I am sorry for what Lily has been through. But you are wrong about Jacob and his friends. I understand your concern but it really is none of your business." Bella was trying to keep her cool. She could see that Trent was being completely serious. His intervention was probably coming from a good place, but it was completely unwarranted. "I am just going to the bathroom and then going back to join my friends. Excuse me."

As she made to leave Trent reached out and caught her arm. She glared at him and he immediately let go. "I'm sorry." He said, putting his hands up when he saw that she didn't like being restrained. "Lil has been through such a tough time. She lost all her friends when she dated that creep. It's taken her a long time to come out of her shell and socialise again. You're the first person she's connected with in a long time. She really likes you. Could you please give her a chance? Please?" He begged.

"I don't know." Bella hedged.

"Look...just come and bowl with us for a bit. It will get that clingy blonde guy off your back for a while." Trent did his best to be persuasive.

Bella bit on her bottom lip as she considered his offer. She supposed it couldn't do much harm to spend half an hour with Lily and her brother. And it would give her some much needed breathing space from Mike's constant attentions and Jessica and Lauren's hostile attitudes.

"Okay...just for a while." She finally agreed.

* * *

"It's all about the positioning." Trent said as he tried to teach her how to bowl.

"Positioning, really?" Bella glanced in Lily's direction. The other girl laughed quietly, obviously used to hearing her brothers lectures.

"I'm an expert at this, Bella." Trent boasted. "I can give you some proper lessons. Soon you'll be as good as Lil."

"I'm good for now, thanks." Bella left him and walked up the aisle to take her turn. The ball ran straight down the edge and only hit one pin.

"That was awful." Trent shook his head. "Lil, come here and show her how it's done."

"Just humour him, Bella. He takes himself too seriously sometimes." Lily whispered to her when she passed.

Bella smiled as she watched Lily take her turn and bowl a perfect strike. Trent whooped and gave his sister a high-five.

"See, it just takes a little practise, Bella. Come here." Trent waved her over.

"Go on." Lily encouraged her when Bella hesitated. "He really is a good teacher."

Bella sighed in defeat as she went to join Trent at the top of the aisle. Trent stood close beside her as he demonstrated what to do. "I would definitely suggest moving your hips with the ball. Spread your legs further apart to give yourself more balance." He suggested.

"Thanks for the tips. I'll give it a go." Bella took aim and threw the ball. To her surprise it actually rolled down the centre of the aisle and knocked down four pins. "Wow!" She said in surprise.

"I told you so!" Trent boasted, laughing as he went to give her a hug.

Bella backed away just in time to see Jacob standing a few feet away. He looked hurt and angry as he quickly walked off in the opposite direction. Bella hastily side stepped Trent and ran after him. Oh crap, Jacob had gotten completely the wrong idea.

"Jake...Jake...wait!" She puffed as she finally caught up with him.

Jacob stopped, but still refused to look at her.

"You got away after all." Bella continued as she tried to see his face. He still didn't respond and she sighed. "Are you ever going to talk to me?"

"Why did you do that?" He asked sadly, shaking his head, still not looking at her.

Bella grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the bathrooms. When they reached the ladies room, she shut the door behind them and locked it. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise that would upset you. Trent was just teaching me to bowl, that's all. He asked me to spend some time with Lily, she's been through a tough time." She explained, still trying to get him to look at her, but he just closed his eyes for a second before finally meeting her eyes.

"Bells, that was hard to watch." Jacob pulled her to his chest.

Looking into his eyes Bella could see that she had hurt him pretty badly. From the outside it must have seemed like she was flirting with Trent or something, and considering Jacob's history with the guy, it was no wonder he was upset.

"I'm sorry, Jake. Honestly, I didn't mean anything by it. I was being thoughtless. I really didn't think." She put her arms around his neck.

"Okay." Jacob was still upset and Bella felt awful that she had hurt him.

"You need to trust me though; I would never do anything to hurt you on purpose. I'm sorry." She pulled his face to hers and kissed him tenderly.

Jacob responded immediately, kissing her back and pulling her closer to him. He slid one hand down and gripped it on her ass, making Bella gasp. He kissed her hungrily, his mouth leaving hers only to travel down her neck, making her shiver with desire. Bella slipped her hand under his t-shirt, tracing the muscles on his chest, making him moan.

After a few minutes of intense kissing, Jacob pulled away, smiling at her, his eyes dancing with excitement. He put his forehead to hers, they were both breathing heavy. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be all possessive." He said, kissing the tip of her nose. "There's just something about that guy that annoys the hell out of me."

"Trent was just looking out for his sister." Bella kissed him tenderly, savouring the soft feel of his soft lips against hers. "And you don't need to apologise for the way you feel. We've both never done this before, so we need to find a way that works for both of us."

Jacob was about to respond when there was a sharp rapping on the door. "Shit...it's that Lily girl." He muttered in frustration.

"Bella! Bella!" Lily's worried voice came from the other side of the door. "Are you alright? Please tell me you're okay?"

"We better go out before she calls security or something." Bella sighed as she pecked Jacob lightly on the lips one last time.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Ten**

"Bella, I was so worried." Lily was practically quivering with anxiety as she eyed Jacob warily.

"I'm fine." Bella rushed to reassure her.

"But-" Lily began to protest until Trent came up beside her and put a calming hand on her shoulder.

"She said she's fine, Lil. Stop stressing."

Lily hung her head and turned into her brother's side, hiding her face against his arm. She emitted a stifled sob and Trent sighed. Bella felt her throat close up with guilt as she gazed at the distressed girl. She glanced up at Jacob helplessly as Trent did his best to comfort his sister.

"I don't pretend to understand what's going on here, but I think you've got the wrong impression about me." Jacob said quietly to Lily. He reached for Bella's hand and took it.

"Your unprovoked attack on me didn't exactly do you any favours." Trent cut in icily.

Jacob tensed as he turned his attention to Lily's older brother. The two glared at each other for a moment. Jacob towered over Trent, who barely reached his shoulder. But Trent didn't seem to be intimidated by Jacob's size, instead he tried to puff himself up in order to make himself appear bigger than he actually was. If it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation Bella would have found it comical. She squeezed Jacob's fingers with hers, pleading with her eyes for him to take the higher ground.

Slowly his shoulders relaxed and he squeezed her fingers back in response. "I admit it wasn't my finest hour. I'm sorry." He apologised to Trent.

Trent appeared resentful that Jacob had backed down and apologised so quickly. It was like he had wanted Jacob to kick off in order to prove his point that Jacob was trouble. He put his arm around Lily's shoulders, she was still shaking. "I better take her home." He said gruffly. "This has set her right back."

"I'm sorry, Lily." Bella said regretfully. "I hope you feel better soon."

Lily raised her tearstained face and took a deep breath. "You need to be careful, Bella." Her gaze slid to Jacob before moving back to Bella. "Please, take my number. If you ever need anything..."

Bella felt awkward. She input Lily's cell number in her phone just to appease her. She was desperate for her and Trent to go now. She held on fast to Jacob's hand, feeling grateful for his steady presence and the fact that he was remaining so calm under Trent and Lily's unjustified hostility.

* * *

Later that night they were all cramped into Bella's lounge. After leaving the bowling alley everyone was still desperate for something to do. No one had any idea until Lauren maliciously suggested that they all go to Bella's house and watch a movie. With Angela already staying with her, it seemed churlish not to agree. Jacob had raised his eyebrows in surprise when Bella recklessly agreed to this plan, more to spite Lauren than anything, she knew the evil blonde was dying for her to kibosh the idea and look stupid.

Charlie was working late, so he wasn't around to supervise like he had the previous evening. Mike and Eric had ransacked Charlie's meagre collection of DVD's and chosen Avatar as being the most watchable option. Bella sat down by Jacob's feet while he sat beside Embry on the sofa-Lauren deliberately commandeered Charlie's recliner, just so she could remain at the centre of things. The others sat on the other remaining chairs or on the floor.

Bella tried to concentrate on the film but it was proving difficult while Lauren was doing her level best to flirt with Jacob and Embry right in front of her. Not that it was doing the stupid cow any favours. Jacob just ignored her, while Embry kept shooting longing looks in Angela's direction. Angela was trying to remain composed as she sat stiffly next to Ben, but her rosy cheeks gave her away.

Mike moved to sit next to Bella. "Hey, Bella." He said cheerfully as he plopped himself down on the floor next to her.

Bella shifted uncomfortably to get a little bit more space from him. She felt Jacob stiffen, so she put her hand on his foot, rubbing the top of her thumb across it soothingly.

"So, Bella, tonight was fun. We'll have to do it again." Mike whispered close to her ear. "Or we could do something else...just the two of us."

"I don't think so, Mike." Bella replied curtly.

"Why not?" Mike was still refusing to take the hint.

"Because I'm busy." Bella muttered, turning away to watch the TV.

"You don't want to talk to me?" Mike persisted, faking hurt.

Bella let out an exaggerated sigh. She could feel Jacob's tension radiating from behind her. If Mike didn't quit being so pushy she knew that it wouldn't be long before Jacob lost his cool and taught Newton a lesson he wouldn't forget. Bella didn't want to let it get that far. She needed to be able to handle these sort of situations herself.

"I'm trying to watch the film, Mike."

"Come on, Bella." Mike wheedled. "Just give me a chance."

"I said no." Bella responded shortly.

"I could make you change your mind." Mike stated confidently.

"I doubt that." Bella laughed humourlessly. "I bet you twenty bucks that you couldn't change my mind."

"I'll take that bet." Mike chuckled darkly. "Just wait until we're alone and I'll prove it."

"How?" Bella asked, frowning.

"I'll kiss you." Mike lowered his voice, trying to adopt a sexy tone. "Once you've had a taste of these lips, baby, you'll wonder why you resisted for so long." He quipped.

Jacob's leg jerked behind her as he made a move to get up. Bella knew he had reached his limit with Mike. She pushed back on his legs and started rubbing his foot again. As she did so she leaned closer to Mike and whispered. "You even try to kiss me, dumbass, and I'll knee you in the balls. Got it." She warned, smiling innocently.

Mike's face paled as he jerked away from her. He swallowed thickly, finally seeming to be aware of Jacob giving him the death glare from the sofa behind him. He mumbled a lame excuse and moved his butt to the other side of the room.

When Bella glanced up at Jacob now that Mike had moved, she found that he was laughing. "That's my girl." He whispered, making her smile.

* * *

After everyone had left, it was almost midnight, Bella and Angela went to bed after spending what was left of the evening tidying up the lounge before Charlie got home. Bella was going to wait for her friend to fall asleep, before sneaking downstairs to meet Jacob so they could spend the rest of the night cuddled up on the sofa like the night before.

"Goodnight, Angela." Bella whispered as she reached out to turn off the lamp.

"Bella, wait." Angela stopped her. She sat up on the camp bed, pushing her dark hair off her face. She looked troubled. "Can I ask your advice?"

"You don't have to ask." Bella rolled onto her side so she was facing her friend. "What's wrong?"

Angela drew her knees up and hugged them to her chest. She looked young and vulnerable suddenly. "Do you think it's possible to be attracted to two people at the same time?" She whispered.

Bella gazed at Angela's tense profile in the half dark. It was obvious who her friend was talking about-Ben and Embry. She hadn't been blind to the lingering looks that Embry and Angela had been shooting each other across the room. Ben had seemed oblivious, if he wasn't then he was hiding it very well. Bella tried to compare Angela's situation with her own regarding Edward and Jacob, but then decided it wasn't the same. Edward was no longer a factor. He was long gone and was never coming back. It was odd how that thought didn't rip open the gaping hole in her chest like it used to. The constant ache hardly bothered her at all anymore. Somehow through all her mourning for her lost first love, Jacob had managed to heal her damaged heart.

"I think it's possible to be attracted to more than one person." She said carefully.

"Really?" Angela looked desperate. "What do you think I should do?"

"I think you should relax and not tear yourself apart over it." Bella advised. "You know something, Angela? I think the world can sometimes surprise us. I mean you fall in love, and it doesn't work out, you think it will never happen, but it does, believe me it does, in the strangest places."

Angela regarded Bella thoughtfully. "You mean like you and Jacob?" She asked.

Bella's eyes widened as she felt a heated blush take over her face. "I...I...I mean..."

"It's okay, Bella. I won't say anything." Angela gave her an understanding smile. "Goodnight." She said, settling back down on the camp bed and closing her eyes.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Eleven**

It had been a stressful two days, but Bella had to admit that she had enjoyed having another girl around the house. She was actually missing Angela's company. For the last week Jacob had been gone more than he had been around. Sam had upped the patrol schedules again. Victoria was back to her old game, constantly making surprise forays onto the res and testing the limits of the wolves patience.

When she came down for breakfast Charlie was already in the kitchen. He was leaning against the counter eating a bowl of cereal. Bella gave him one of her looks and snatched the bowl out of his hands, carrying it to the table.

"You've got to stop stealing my breakfast, Dad." She said testily as she got a new spoon and began to eat.

"That was mine." Charlie huffed.

Bella frowned at him, confused. Her father was always eating her cereal. Every day he had a bowl of her cornflakes ready. "Sure, Dad. You make it for me every day and then eat it yourself."

"Why would I make you a bowl and eat it myself?" Charlie protested.

"You mean you didn't make this for me?" Bella said in surprise as she stopped with the spoon half way to her mouth.

"I made it for me." Charlie shook his head in disbelief. "Like I make breakfast for myself every morning before you get up and snatch it from me."

Bella gasped at this revelation. She had been under the impression that the reason he had a bowl ready was because he had prepared it for her. She was shocked that wasn't the case. "But I thought you hated cereal. I thought...I don't know what I thought. Why didn't you say anything?" She accused.

Charlie just shrugged. "I was just glad that you seemed to have your appetite back. I didn't want to jinx it I guess by saying anything."

Bella was completely stunned as well feeling a little guilty. "I am so sorry, Dad." She apologised, getting up from the table. "Here, you take the rest of it." She suggested with a weak smile. She plopped the bowl in his hands. "I'm just gonna have a shower." She finished, hurrying from the room.

"Thanks for nothing, kiddo." Charlie muttered in defeat as he looked down at the empty bowl in his hands.

* * *

Another school day passed, much like all the others. Bella was glad when the day was over. She wasn't expecting Jacob to meet her after school-he had just been too busy-so it was a welcome surprise when she found him leaning against the side of the old red Chevy, waiting for her. What wasn't so welcome was the hordes of girls he had attracted in the meantime.

Bella scowled as she noticed Lauren pushing her way to the front and wrapping her dirty little arms around Jacob's waist, looking at him with her come to bed eyes.

"Seriously, you need to get off." Jacob said sternly, unwrapping her from him and stepping backwards.

"Oh, come on." Lauren purred suggestively, reaching out and rubbing a hand up his chest. "We could have fun together."

Bella was so jealous that she actually felt sick. The feeling was so bad that she actually thought she was going to puke right there in the parking lot. She turned and walked away, just wanting to be away from it all. After a minute she could hear someone running up to catch up with her, that someone grabbed her hand pulling her to a stop.

"I'm not in the mood!" She shouted, turning to face whoever it was, she was shocked to find it was Jake.

"Hey, where are you going?" Jacob frowned, looking at her face worriedly.

"Oh, right...um...sorry. I thought you were with Lauren, having some fun." Bella muttered sarcastically, feeling embarrassed that she had shouted at him.

Jacob shook his head and stepped closer to her. "No, I'm not with her, I'm with you." He said sweetly, giving her one of his special smiles and making her heart beat faster.

"Right, yeah, sorry...I just...I don't know..." Bella trailed off, feeling her face grow warm with mortification.

"You were jealous." Jacob stated, seeming pleased about it. Bella nodded reluctantly, not really wanting to admit it. "Good, I've been waiting for you to get jealous for ages." He said, smirking.

Bella gave a non-committal shrug. "You have? Well there you go then, it finally happened." She kicked her shoes in the dirt, trying to distract herself from the jealous feeling that was still coursing through her veins. She knew she was going to have to get used to girls being all over him. He was Jacob Black for goodness sake; with his looks girls were always going to be following him around, begging for his attention. He was so beautiful.

"Remember that talk we had, the one about trust. Well that works both ways you know. I will never hurt you, but you need to believe that too." Jacob put his finger under her chin and tilted her head up, making her look into his eyes.

"I do trust you." She replied. "It was just hard to watch." She used the same words he had said to her at the bowling alley.

"I have the sexiest, most beautiful girl in the world. None of those other girls could compare to you." He responded sincerely. He smiled sweetly, setting off a thousand butterflies in her stomach. He was too damn adorable for his own good. How could she resist a statement like that?

Bella leaned forwards until her mouth was almost touching his. Jacob tried to close the gap, intending to kiss her, but she pulled away at the last minute. "All good things come to those who wait." She teased, walking off toward her truck.

Jacob groaned and caught up to her quickly. "You don't think waiting my whole life is long enough?" He asked, faking shock.

"Not really. I think I'll make you wait a little longer." Bella blew him a kiss as she reached the truck and opened the driver's door.

* * *

With Charlie working late, and with Jacob due on patrol later that evening, they decided to spend the afternoon in La Push instead of Forks. Bella parked the old Chevy outside Jacob's house, and was just about to climb out of the truck, when Jacob stopped her.

"I need to tell you something." He confessed guiltily.

"What?" Bella felt the tension build in her shoulders at the look on his face.

"Billy knows about us." Jacob reached for her hand and gazed at her pleadingly. "Don't be mad. He guessed. I swear I didn't tell him."

Bella didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the worried expression on his face. He was really concerned that he had betrayed her confidence by sharing something so personal with his own father when she'd asked him to keep their burgeoning relationship such a secret. After thinking it through she found she really didn't mind. Slowly she relaxed.

"It's okay."

"Really?" Jacob breathed a sigh of relief. "You don't mind?"

"No...though I really don't want Charlie to know just yet. Billy won't tell him, will he?" Bella pressed.

"I asked him not to. But it might actually be better coming from you." Jacob suggested.

Bella felt a little uncomfortable discussing something so personal with Jacob's father. Billy was more laid back than Charlie, but still, with her history of dating a vampire, she wasn't so sure how he might feel about her starting a relationship with his son. In the end she needn't have worried. Billy didn't seem to hold any ill feelings toward her regarding the fact that she had ignored all his warnings about Edward. Instead he seemed really pleased that she was dating his son.

Billy sent Jacob off to do some unnecessary chores outside while he had a private chat with Bella. "Don't look so anxious, Bella. I am happy for you two. Jake's told you he's been in love with you for years, right?"

Bella's breath caught in her throat at his choice of words. Billy really thought Jacob was in love with her? Of course she knew that Jacob cared about her..._a lot._ But love?

"Um...he's told me he's liked me for a long time." She mumbled, a little uncomfortably.

Billy chuckled in amusement. "_Liked_, jeez that boy has been smitten with you from the get go. I can't believe you didn't see it."

Bella's heart was racing and her palms were sweaty. Billy really seemed certain that Jacob was in love with her, but was she in love with him? She didn't know, at least, not yet. But she could easily see herself falling in love with him. Everything was so new. They had only just decided to cross the line from friends to something more. Now Billy had dropped this bombshell on her.

"I'm only telling you this because I need you to be careful with my son's heart, Bella. This really is a big deal for him." Billy pleaded. "And I really think you should consider telling Charlie." He added.

"Yeah, I know. Jake and I talked about it and we decided to keep it from him for a couple of weeks, just until things settle down. I'd really appreciate it if you'd not say anything to him when you see him."

Billy sighed. "I won't say anything, but I don't think you should leave it too long, otherwise it will only get harder."

Bella smiled gratefully. "Just a couple of weeks." She promised.

Suddenly, Jacob jumped over the back of the couch and landed next to Bella, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her to him. When she turned to smile at him, he kissed her.

Bella pulled away quickly, making him frown. "Bells, I haven't seen you all day." He whined like a little kid.

"Jake, your dad is right there." Bella whispered, blushing.

Jacob stood up and held out his hand. "Let's go listen to some music in my room." He rolled his eyes at Billy, who was smirking widely.

Bella took his hand and let him pull her up and into his room. His bedroom was as messy as always. She wondered how he could find anything with all the clothes and stuff littering the floor. She fought off the overwhelming urge to organise the chaos and sat down on the edge of his bed instead. Jacob came and sat down next to her. Bella couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked. No wonder all the girls were after him. He was perfect.

Feeling bold, she pushed him down on the bed and moved so she was straddling him, she put her forearms near his head and bent down so that their faces were almost touching. "So...you've missed me today?"

"I miss you every minute of every day." Jacob's gaze flicked to her lips for a split second, before returning to her eyes. "Can I kiss you now?"

Bella took the initiative and crashed her lips to his. This was something she would never have dared to do with Edward. Jacob's arms immediately went around her waist, pulling her closer to him, one of his hands tangling in her hair. He traced his tongue along her bottom lip slowly, and Bella's lips parted, eager to taste him. They kissed passionately for a while. Bella was burning with the need for Jacob to touch her, but she was also conscious that Billy was just down the hall and knew they were in Jacob's room together. She pulled back after a few minutes, they were both breathing hard. Jacob ran his hands slowly down her body from the top of her head to her waist and back up again, looking at her lovingly.

Bella was startled by the tender expression on his face. What Billy had said was true. He really was in love with her; she could see it in his eyes.

She tried to concentrate, but he was gripping both hands on her ass and squeezing gently, making it hard to think. She was almost too distracted, if he just moved them a bit further down and towards the centre more, they would exactly be where her body was screaming for him to be. She blushed at the lustful thoughts consuming her brain.

"You are so beautiful. You take my breath away every time I look at you." He said huskily.

Bella felt her eyes moisten at his compliment. He sounded so sincere, there was no way she could doubt that he meant every word. "That has to be the sweetest thing I've ever heard." She murmured, kissing him tenderly.

Jacob kissed her back and rolled so she was underneath him. "I could kiss you all day." He mumbled against her skin. He trailed kissed across her cheek to her ear. "I love you, Bells." He whispered.

Bella's heart skipped a beat. Her body was tingling with desire for him, but she didn't know how to respond to his monumental declaration. "I...I...Jake...I..."

Jacob kissed her again, stopping her from speaking. "You don't have to say anything." He murmured against her lips. "I've felt this way about you for a long time, but you've only just stopped looking at me as anything more than a friend. I just wanted to say the words to you, that's all. I've been waiting to say them for a long time." He smoothed her hair back from her face as he spoke.

Bella, feeling lost for words at his passionate love declaration, let her actions speak instead. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and kissed all over his face, before finally kissing him long and hard on his perfect mouth.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Twelve**

Bella didn't even realise she had fallen asleep because when she woke up Jacob was wrapped all over her. She looked at his clock and gasped. It was past nine! Charlie would be home already and wondering where the hell she was. There would be no dinner waiting for him.

Bella nudged Jacob awake. "Hey, I have to go. It's after nine o'clock." She stated urgently.

Jacob groaned. "Ten more minutes, Bells." He mumbled sleepily.

Bella laughed; he looked so cute when he was sleepy. She giggled as she tickled him. "Jake, it's not morning, it's still night time, but I've got to go. Charlie will be worrying about where I am!" She explained, finally managing to pry Jacob's arms off her and slipping off the bed. Jacob groaned and pulled her back down beside him, holding her tight against his body, smiling sleepily. "Will you stop! I need to go."

Jacob shook his head. "No, I don't want you to go." He muttered, he kissed her neck. Bella pushed him up and he sighed. "But I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you, too. But I have to get home. I haven't done any homework, either." She said, sighing herself.

He growled in defeat. "Okay."

Bella climbed out of his bed and went to the door. Jacob was soon by her side, reaching for her hand as they walked down the hallway together.

"Bye, Billy." Bella waved as she passed Jacob's father.

"Goodbye, Bella." Billy replied, not taking his eyes off the TV.

* * *

On the drive home Jacob held Bella's hand all the way. He glanced at her often, a tender smile lighting up his face each time. Bella found herself blushing like crazy. When she swung the old red Chevy into the driveway and parked, she switched off the loud rumbling engine and faced him.

"Will I see you later?" She asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, honey. Not tonight." Jacob gave her a regretful smile. "Sam wants the strongest wolves patrolling the perimeter. Quil will be watching out for you tonight."

"Oh." Bella struggled to hide her disappointment. She never slept very well when Jacob wasn't with her.

"I'll meet you after school again tomorrow. How's that?" Jacob offered instead.

"I'd like that." Bella smiled as she leaned in for a kiss.

* * *

Jacob walked her to the front door, where he pushed her against it lightly, and kissed her until she was dizzy. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay." He whispered, caressing her cheek. "I love you, Bells."

Bella felt her cheeks grown warm as he pecked her on the lips one last time before retreating into the dark. She watched him go and was surprised at how much it physically hurt to see him leave. Jeez, she was really getting addicted. She took a deep breath to try and regain her composure, before opening the front door with her key and slipping inside.

Charlie was sitting on the sofa, waiting for her. As she walked into the lounge he looked at her, his eyes tight with stress. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick! You could have left a note or at least answered my messages when I called."

"What?" Bella pulled her cell phone out of her pocket to find that the battery was dead. She looked at Charlie guiltily. "I'm sorry, I was over at Jake's. We were watching a movie and I accidentally fell asleep."

Charlie sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. "I know you're eighteen and an adult now, but that doesn't mean that I still don't worry about you, kid."

"I really am sorry." Bella apologised again. "It won't happen again. Would you like me to make you something to eat?"

"No...I made myself some grilled cheese." Charlie replied.

"Okay...well I'm going to do some homework." Bella turned and started towards the hallway, intending to go to her room.

"Bells, wait a minute. I need to talk to you about something." Charlie patted the sofa next to him.

Feeling confused, Bella sat down next to him. "What's wrong, Dad?" She asked, concerned, he looked really upset about something.

Charlie took a deep breath. "I've got some news." He hesitated, checking her reaction carefully.

Bella felt her stomach churn as she picked up on his apprehension. Whatever this news was, it wasn't good. "Just tell me, Dad." She said flatly.

"I don't want you to freak out, kiddo." Charlie took her hands in his own and held them tightly. "Dianne and Steven Weber came to see me today."

"Why?" Bella asked slowly. She hadn't seen Angela around at school that day and assumed she was off sick. Come to think of it she hadn't seen Ben, either.

"Angela's gone missing. She left her boyfriend's house last night but she didn't make it home." Charlie revealed gently.

Bella's face paled. She couldn't breathe. Her lungs refused to work. She felt her heart beating way too fast as her body started to shake. Angela was missing. She had been gone for a whole twenty four hours. Charlie continued to outline the facts of the case-her parents, after doing a thorough search of the route she would have taken from Ben's to their house, had come across her car abandoned on the side of the road-it looked like she had broken down. The cars lights were still on, Angela's purse was still in the car, along with her cell phone. There was no signs of a struggle or any clues to where she might have gone. It seemed like Angela had simply disappeared into the ether.

The longer Charlie continued to talk, the worse Bella got. Her vision started to get black spots as she hyperventilated. She was going to die she could feel it; her body was shutting down, unable to deal with the pain of losing her friend. She was vaguely aware of shouting.

"Just let her go, I can help her!" A voice she recognised, shouted.

"Where the hell did you come from, Jake?" Charlie thundered. "Let her be. I need to call 911, she can't breathe."

"I got this, Charlie." Jacob said urgently again.

Bella felt herself being jostled slightly and then felt two strong arms go around her, pulling her into a hard chest; there was a beautiful smell that she recognised as Jake.

_Oh thank you God, Jake was here!_

Bella felt her heart rate start to slow down as she felt his lips press onto her forehead. He held her carefully, urging her to match her breathing to his. Bella concentrated on the feel of his steady heartbeat against her chest and the black spots slowly started to fade. After a few minutes she regained control of her arms and wrapped them tightly around his waist, clinging to him as if he was the only thing keeping her falling off the edge of the world. She knew Jake wouldn't let anything hurt her. So she started to feel safe in his arms. After what seemed an eternity, she was able to pull back to look up at him.

"You alright now?" Jacob asked, putting his hands on either side of her face and pressing his forehead to hers.

Bella nodded and licked her lips, they tasted salty for some reason, and then she realised she was crying. She wiped her face and sniffed. She was becoming aware of her surroundings; she was still in the lounge. She glanced over at her father. He was standing a few feet away, staring at her and Jacob. Bella thought about stepping back, but she couldn't. She couldn't move away from Jake, he was her safety; he was the one she needed, the one who would keep her sane through this fucked up nightmare she was living.

Charlie walked over and pulled Bella out of Jake's arms, making her whimper. He wrapped her in a tight hug. "Damn it, Bells. Don't ever do that to me again! You scared the life out of me."

"I'm sorry." Bella said weakly, she looked back toward Jacob for reassurance only to find he wasn't there. The panic started to rise again and her breathing began to get shallow. "Where's Jake?" She choked out as the tears started flowing.

Charlie hugged her tightly. "Hush, Bells. Just breathe."

But she couldn't breathe. Her lungs were too tight.

"Jake, get in here." Charlie hollered.

Jacob ran back into the room, holding a glass of water. He put it down on the coffee table roughly, spilling half of it, before pulling Bella out of Charlie's grasp and wrapping his arms back around her. "It's okay." He whispered huskily. "I'm here. I'm right here."

After a couple of minutes, when she finally had her breathing under control, she pulled back and smiled at Jacob gratefully.

Charlie hovered in the background wearing a deep frown. "You two are together, aren't you?" He demanded.

Jacob held up a hand to stop his rant. "Look, Charlie, you and I can talk about this, but now's not the right time after what just happened. I need to make sure she's okay."

Charlie calmed down a little. "I'm sorry, Bells. I had to tell you. I know how close you and Angela are. Right now her disappearance is only known by a select few. I promise we're doing all we can to find her."

Jacob handed the glass of water to Bella and she drank it gratefully. She noticed that Charlie was watching Jacob's every move. "Please don't look at Jake like that, Dad, he's done nothing wrong." She pleaded.

Charlie shook his head and clenched his jaw, taking a deep breath, obviously trying his best to remain calm before speaking. "You two are together." He said simply, looking between the two of them for confirmation.

Bella shifted uncomfortably, so much for a couple of weeks. But right now, with the horrific news of Angela's disappearance, it hardly mattered.

"Yes." Jacob answered Charlie, nodding. His arm wrapped tightly around her. Bella cringed into him, hoping that her father would leave the interrogation for another day. No such luck!

"How long?" Charlie asked. His jaw was still tight, but he was doing well with his control.

"Just over a week." Jacob replied quietly. He looked really guilty, and Bella felt shame flood her face because she knew it was her fault that she had asked him to lie about it.

"Jake wanted to tell you right away, Dad, but I wanted to wait." She explained hurriedly. "Please don't be angry."

"You like him, Bella?" Charlie continued quietly.

"Yes." Bella lowered her gaze. "I like him very much."

Charlie nodded, sighing. "I just worry about you, kiddo."

"I know." Bella said sadly.

There was the longest pause before Charlie spoke again, this time it was directly to Jacob. "Jake, your father and I have been best friends for years, I think of you as my own son, but let me warn you, if you hurt my little girl, I will not take any prisoners. Do I make myself clear?"

"I won't. I promise." Jacob replied solemnly.

Bella looked up at Jacob in relief. That had gone easier than she expected. He smiled down at her, squeezing her gently. It was clear he was pleased that everything was finally out in the open. Glancing at the clock Bella realised it was nearly ten o'clock. The temperature was dropping and it was getting really cold outside. Her relief at one disaster being averted turned to fear as she thought about Angela, out in the dark night, all alone and afraid somewhere.

Jacob, attuned to her moods as ever, stroked the back of her hair with his hand. He kissed her forehead again. "I have to go." He said reluctantly.

Bella nodded. She knew where he was going. As soon as he left he would meet up with his pack and tell Sam about Angela going missing. She thought about Embry and how crushed he would feel that the girl he was developing feelings for was gone. Tears welled in her eyes as she thought about her missing friend.

_"Please, let her be alright. Please, God, bring her home safely."_ She prayed in her head.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Thirteen**

Bella began to lose all concept of time as she waited for news. She was eager to join the search, but knew she would just get in the way, and with Victoria still on the loose, it would just be a further strain on the pack and Jacob to keep her safe. As much as Charlie tried to contain the news of Angela's disappearance it soon began to spread around the town. One of Angela's distressed brothers told a friend, who told his parents, and before long everyone was talking about it.

Bella was missing Jacob badly. When he was with her the pain stopped, or at least was put on hold. But without him she had too much time to think. Charlie wasn't around much either. He was immersed in the investigation, knowing full well that if Angela wasn't found within the first forty-eight hours, that her chances of survival were very slim indeed. Angela's boyfriend, Ben, was completely distraught. Charlie had interviewed him and Ben had told the police chief all he knew. According to him Angela seemed to have something weighing on her mind. She had become distant, spending less and less time with him, until on the night she disappeared she had asked Ben for some space.

Only Bella knew what, or rather who, had been on Angela's mind-Embry. Angela had been struggling with her feelings ever since their little chat. She was such a loyal person, that Bella guessed her friend felt like she was betraying Ben even by just thinking about another guy. It was all such a mess and Bella couldn't help but feel responsible. She should have tried harder to get Angela to open up more. She had asked, but Angela had rebuffed her offer, citing that she needed to work through her feelings alone.

Bella spent her time looking at photographs she had taken of Angela on the few excursions they had been on together. There was Angela on First beach, her hair blowing wildly in the wind, but smiling prettily despite the cold. That was the same day that Bella remembered encountering Jacob on the beach, where she had used the opportunity to flirt with him in order to get him to open up about the old legends. Shame washed over her at the way she had manipulated him into getting what she wanted. She was such a selfish person.

Sighing, she studied the photograph of Angela again. Her brown eyes were twinkling with laughter, her teeth glistening when she smiled. Bella wondered what her friend was thinking in that moment. Whatever it was, she looked happy. So much time had passed since then. They were happier, more innocent times. A time before she got caught up in the supernatural, before her relationship with Edward had started. God, she had so many regrets! Bella touched the photograph reverently, using it as a talisman as she prayed for Angela's safe return.

* * *

Bella awoke to the sound of loud knocking on the front door. She hadn't even realised she had fallen asleep. She looked around groggily, her limbs felt stiff from being in the same position for so long. She noticed she was still curled up on the sofa, the photo album hanging open on her lap. The knocking increased in intensity. Bella forced her numbed legs to co-operate and stood up. She wobbled for a few seconds, wincing as the blood flow began to pool in her veins.

Holding on to every bit of available furniture or wall, she staggered to the front door and pulled it open. To her surprise she found Lily and Trent standing on the front porch.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, pushing her tangled hair back from her face.

"We came over as soon as we heard the news." Lily said gently. She opened her arms and embraced a startled Bella. "Angela Weber was one of your friends, wasn't she?"

"Lil, give Bella some room to breathe." Trent chided his sister as he pulled her off Bella. "I'm sorry, as soon as we heard the news Lily wanted to come straight over to see you. She was worried...we both were." He tagged on at the end.

Bella felt confused and disorientated. How did Lily and Trent know that Angela was her friend? She didn't remember introducing them to the others when she spent time with them at the bowling alley. Had the news spread beyond Forks and into La Push already?

"Are you alright, Bella?" Lily said anxiously. "You look so exhausted. I can't bear the thought of you sitting here all alone. Waiting for news is the worst-"

"How do you know I'm alone?" Bella cut in sharply.

"I...we...um..." Lily faltered until she fell silent. She hung her head to hide the easy ears filling her eyes.

"It's okay, Lil." Trent comforted his sister. He put an arm around her and drew her into his side. "We're sorry we bothered you, Bella. We just assumed you might be alone because your dad is the police chief in charge of the investigation. There were rumours going around that your friend was heading in the direction of the res when she went missing. News like that spreads like wildfire in such a small community. As soon as we heard we came to offer our support."

"No...I'm the one who should be sorry." Bella apologised guiltily. "I'm sorry, Lily." She said earnestly. "It's been a long day."

Lily raised her head and smiled at Bella tentatively through her tears. "That's okay. I understand." She said, tucking her shiny bobbed hair behind both ears. "I just thought you could use some company. We are friends...aren't we?"

Were they? Bella hardly knew the girl or her brother. But they did seem sincere. Already feeling bad about her rudeness, she decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. And it was awful waiting all alone. There was no telling when Jacob or Charlie would be back to tell her anything.

"Please, come in." Opening the door wider, Bella welcomed them inside.

* * *

It was nearly ten o'clock but Bella's body felt so exhausted from all the emotional drama that it felt like she hadn't slept in days. Lily and Trent had refused to leave her side, no matter how many hints she dropped, they seemed to subtly choose to ignore them. At first she had been grateful for their company, but now she was tiring of it.

Lily was a fragile mess. Bella had been walking on eggshells around the vulnerable girl all afternoon and evening. One wrong look or one wrong word would bring on the tears. Trent would immediately jump in and comfort his sister, but it was clear to Bella his constant attempts to appease his sister's feelings were doing Lily more harm than good. The more time Bella spent in their company the more she suspected that Lily played on her vulnerability to gain attention.

"It's been forty hours now." Trent said as he glanced at the clock. "What did your father say when he last called?"

"That they were widening the search." Bella muttered as she stared stonily into the distance.

Lily's eyes were shining bright with tears. She sniffed and delicately rubbed the end of her nose. "I feel so awful."

"It's okay, Lil. Don't get upset." Trent said soothingly. He gave Bella an apologetic smile but she barely acknowledged it.

"If Angela was alive she would have been found by now." Lily shook her head mournfully. "I'm sure that boyfriend of hers had something to do with it. I mean look at my own situation-"

"Just shut the hell up!" Bella sprang to her feet and glared angrily at Lily. The other girl cowered against her brother's side, the ever present tears sliding down her face. "Ben is a good guy. He would never hurt Angela. And Angela is resourceful. Her situation is nothing like yours, okay. Stop trying to make everything about you."

"Bella!" Trent frowned heavily as he gathered up a sobbing Lily in his arms. "I know you are upset but you don't need to take your frustrations out on my sister."

"I'm not!" Bella argued hotly. "I never asked you to come here. You need to stop pandering to your sister and let her stand on her own two feet."

Trent let go of Lily and jumped to his feet. He grabbed Bella's shoulders and shook her a little. His brown eyes were nearly black with anger. "My sister has been through hell. You have no idea of the trauma she went through. I see the same things in you. You're clearly vulnerable and need looking after."

"Where the hell do you get off telling me what I need? You know nothing about me." Bella pushed his hands off her shoulders and took a step back from him.

"I can see that you're falling apart under the pressure. I can see that you need emotional support like Lily." Trent stated passionately.

"I have support." Bella said icily. "I have Jake...I have-"

"Jacob Black?" Trent did little to hide his sarcasm. "Come on, Bella! Open your eyes! The guy is a text book control freak. And if he is so supportive then where is he, huh? He's not here but we are." He gestured toward himself and his sister.

"Jake is out there helping with the search if you must know." Bella replied as she folded her arms across her chest defensively. "I want you to leave now."

"Oh, Bella, please don't be angry with us." Lily cried. "Trent is sorry for what he said. He's just so protective of me." She turned and gave her brother a grateful smile. "He's so good at looking after people. I think he forgets about himself sometimes."

_Or you don't give him the chance! _Bella pushed the traitorous thought from her head. "I know that you think that you are helping, but you're really not. I would really like you to g-"

The back door banged cutting her off mid-sentence. Bella heard Jacob calling her name and a sense of blessed relief flooded through her. She was about to rush to meet him when Trent grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly behind him. Bella squealed in shock at his lightening fast move, she tried to navigate her way around him but he grabbed her arm again and yanked her back.

This was the first thing Jacob saw when he rounded the corner and entered the room. "Let go of her before I break your face." He threatened Trent, his dark eyes flashing with anger.

Trent pushed Bella behind him and stood protectively in front of her and Lily. "I don't want any trouble." He said evenly.

Jacob's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he carefully assessed the situation. Bella looked more angry than distressed. In fact she looked downright pissed. She certainly wasn't in any physical danger. Jacob felt the tension ease from his body and he calmed down.

"If you don't want trouble then why are you trying to cause it?" He demanded.

"He's looking out for Bella like he does for me." Lily interjected. "We all know your type."

"Shut up, Lily!" Bella said hotly as she pushed past Trent and ran to stand next to Jacob.

Jacob reached for Bella's hand and anchored her against his side. "I don't know what's going on here but you should leave." He said directly to Trent in a carefully controlled voice.

Trent dragged his hand through his floppy brown hair and glanced uneasily at Bella. "We're just trying to look out for you." He pleaded roughly.

"I don't need you to do that. I am not Lily, Trent. And Jake is nothing like her asshole former boyfriend. You have got to stop comparing the two situations. Now, please leave."

Tears were running down Lily's cheeks. She sniffed a few times to draw Trent's attention back to her. His face crumpled when he saw how upset she was. "Let's get you home." He said softly, putting his arm around her. He guided his sister toward the front door. As he passed Bella he gave her a long look. "Please think about what you're doing. And we're only a phone call away if you need us."

Bella put a calming hand on Jacob's chest as he scowled at Trent's unfounded insinuation. When the front door finally closed behind them Bella looked at Jacob; he looked just as stunned as she felt. "I am so sorry, Jake."

"Don't worry about them." Jacob was relaxed now they were gone. He put his hands on either side of his face. "I have news. We found Angela."

"Is she..?" Bella couldn't even finish the question.

Jacob's face broke out into a big smile. "Apart from a severe chill and a broken ankle, she's gonna be fine."

Bella wept with relief. She leaned her forehead against Jacob's as the tears dribbled down her cheeks. "What happened to her?" She whispered.

"Her car broke down. She was struggling to get reception on her cell, so she decided to walk to try and get some help. She ended up wandering into the woods, she got lost and went around in circles for ages. You know yourself how easy it is to get disorientated in there."

Bella flinched at the memory of her own time in the forest. If it weren't for Sam tracking her down, who knew how long it would have taken for anyone to find her.

"Anyway she ended up tripping over a tree root or something. She went down, falling into a ditch where she broke her ankle. She struggled to move she was in so much pain. But she was resourceful. It was freezing out there, so she buried herself into the undergrowth to keep warm until first light. That's how she managed to avoid getting hypothermia. We found her not long ago trying to drag herself out of the ditch with her hands."

"Oh my god!" Bella sobbed as she clung to Jacob.

"Em was the one who found her." Jacob continued quietly. "He was frantic and blaming himself for her going missing in the first place."

"It's not Embry's fault." Bella murmured. "He didn't know."

"Angela was on her way to see him, Bells. She was going to tell him that she had decided to break it off with Ben so they could be together." Jacob confided.

Bella pulled back as she looked up at his face. So the rumours Trent and Lily had told her about were right- Angela had been heading to the reservation after leaving Ben-she was going to see Embry. "Wow!" She couldn't think of anything else to say. What a bold move to make! When Angela made a decision she didn't procrastinate like she always did. Bella felt quite envious of her friend. "Can I see her, Jake?"

"Not tonight. She's with her family now. Call her tomorrow." Jacob kissed the tip of her nose.

Bella smiled, just pleased that Angela was safe. "Want to go to bed, Jake? I don't think Dad will be home any time soon." She just wanted to lie in bed and have him hold her for a little while. There had been a small part of her that had worried that it was Victoria who had been behind her friend's disappearance. She was so happy that wasn't the case.

Jacob nodded and kissed her forehead. "Okay."

When they reached her room, Bella pulled off her clothes and slipped on her favourite t-shirt that used to be Jake's. She climbed into bed and lay down. A minute later she felt two arms wrap around her, and a heavy leg slung over hers. She smiled and pressed back into him. Jacob-her boyfriend-the one she needed when things went wrong.

It was weird, but when she remembered Charlie pulling her out of Jake's arms when she suffered her panic attack, it had felt strange, like she'd left her heart behind. She didn't realise until then, how strongly she was connected to him. He literally was everything to her. When she felt his arms wrap around her when she was falling apart, it felt like home, all her panic started to recede, she felt like as long as he was with her, she'd be alright.

Bella snuggled into Jacob and heard him whisper, "I love you," right before she fell back into a dreamless sleep. She didn't doubt his words.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Wolf Boy **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Fourteen**

Bella woke at six to the sound of her alarm going off. She reached out and turned it off. She rolled over and hugged Jacob. He always slept through the alarm. She nudged him gently. "Six o'clock." She said, nudging him again.

Jacob groaned and slowly got up out of the bed, still half asleep. "Okay, Bells, I love you; I'll see you later." He kissed her forehead, his eyes still only half open. Bella burst out laughing; he was so cute.

Jacob looked at her confused. "Shh! What are you laughing at?" He asked, pulling on his shorts.

"You." Bella teased, smiling happily.

"What about me? What have I done?" He whispered, climbing back onto the bed and crawling on top of her. He pressed every inch of his body to Bella's but still keeping his weight off of her somehow. He looked into her eyes, smiling tiredly.

"You are just too adorable." Bella wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a long kiss. "My Dad's still asleep. He got in really late last night. I don't think he's gonna be up anytime soon, so I thought we could use the extra time to make out."

Jacob grinned. "You wanna make out?" He teased, kissing down her neck.

Bella gasped as he reached the sensitive spot near her collarbone. "Mmmm." She breathed, running her hands down his back, scratching lightly with her nails, making him moan. Jacob climbed back under the covers, and kissed her tenderly and softly, holding her close. He made no moves to do anything further than that, which she loved. He really was perfect.

* * *

Bella walked out of her bedroom a little after seven thirty in a jaunty mood. She found Charlie just emerging from his. "Hey, Dad!" She greeted him enthusiastically.

Charlie stopped short and looked at her. "You're in a good mood." He said, yawning widely. He scratched the back of his neck as he followed her down the stairs.

Bella skipped into the kitchen, bouncing on the balls of her feet like an excited child. She guided Charlie to an empty chair and pushed him into it. "Hey, I'll make breakfast for you today." She chirped.

Charlie watched as she made him a bowl of cereal; she smiled and put it in front of him, before making some for herself. "Do you like it?" She asked.

"Very nice." Charlie said with his mouth full. " You know, it's kind of weird, you being all nice to me over breakfast."

"I could be mean to you if you want." Bella offered, laughing.

Charlie joined in and shook his head. "No, I'll get used to it eventually."

There was a knock on the front door. Charlie frowned, glancing at Bella to see if she was expecting any visitors. She shrugged in response, looking as confused as he did. Sighing irritably, Charlie went to answer the door, only to find Jacob standing on the front porch. He was wearing a big grin and seemed in equally as good mood as his daughter. This aroused Charlie's suspicions at once.

"What are you doing here so early?" He growled.

"I thought I would drive Bella over to see Angela. I know she's dying to see her." Jacob replied brightly.

"Right." Charlie muttered as he grudgingly stepped aside and let Jacob pass him.

Jacob raced into the kitchen ahead of the police chief and was soon at Bella's side. She turned to look up at him and he brushed her hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek, making her blush. "You really are the most beautiful girl in the world." He murmured.

Bella's heart skipped a beat at the honesty in his voice, his dark eyes were burning into hers, making her feel like the only girl in the world.

"Cut that crap out!" Charlie demanded. "I might have given my blessing, but I don't want it shoved in my face over breakfast." He cuffed Jacob on the back of the head to make his point as he sat back down at the table.

Jacob rubbed the back of his head, laughing. He stepped behind Bella, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning his head on her shoulder. "Thanks for being so understanding, Charlie."

"Whatever, Jake. We're fine. Just don't make us have a problem, okay." Charlie warned him.

Jacob's arms tightened around Bella. "I won't." He promised, kissing her shoulder lightly and making Charlie mutter under his breath in annoyance.

* * *

Jacob delivered Bella right to Angela's door. He parked outside and switched off the engine. "Leave a message with my Dad as soon as you want picking up. He'll pass the message on to me." He leaned close and kissed her, pulling her as close to his body as he could in such a small space, sending ripples of desire racing through her bloodstream.

Bella pouted when the kiss was over, biting on her bottom lip as he stroked her cheek tenderly. "You could always come with me?" She asked hopefully.

"I would... but Sam's cut me enough slack already. I really should have been patrolling last night but he let me stay with you instead."

Bella patted his chest and forced herself to climb out of the car before she changed her mind. "I'll see you later." She said, holding on to the opened door.

"Bye, Bells."

Bella could feel his eyes on her all the way to Angela's front door. She decided to tease him a little. She began to sway her ass as she walked. When she got to the front door she glanced back over her shoulder to find him staring at her, his mouth slightly open in shock. Laughing, she waved to him before ringing the bell.

* * *

Bella was shown to Angela's room by her mother. Her friend's foot and ankle was in a cast. She had her leg propped up in front of her, her cast resting on a couple of cushions. Apart from that she looked as fresh-faced as ever. There seemed to be no lingering after-effects of the ordeal she had suffered.

"Hi, Angela." Bella said cheerfully as she perched on the edge of the bed.

"Wow, someone's in a good mood today! Any particular reason?" Angela asked, always as perceptive as ever.

"Nope, no reason in particular...well I'm happy that you're safe and well of course." Bella tagged on quickly.

"Of course." Angela agreed with a half smile.

"How are you feeling?" Bella asked, desperate to change the subject.

"I'm fine, really." Angela shrugged as if being stranded out in the woods all night by herself was no big deal.

"You must have been so afraid." Bella reached for Angela's hand and squeezed her fingers lightly. "I know how scary it can be."

"I know." Angela answered softly, remembering Bella's own ordeal. "But luckily Em...I mean all the guys found me." A light blush coated her cheeks as she stumbled over Embry's name.

"I'm thankful he did...I mean they did. I was so worried."

"Bella...there's probably something I should tell you..." Angela began awkwardly.

"You and Embry are together." Bella cut in swiftly. Angela stared at her in surprise. "Jake told me." She explained as her expression turned troubled. "You could have confided in me, Angela. I wouldn't have judged you or anything."

Angela sighed. "I know...I just felt so guilty. I was always so sure that Ben was the one...but then I met Embry and as soon as I looked into those big, gorgeous brown eyes of his... I was lost." She declared passionately. She blushed again when she realised how ardent she sounded. "I'm sorry. You must think I'm ridiculous."

"Not at all." Bella assured her with a sincere smile.

"It must feel like that for you and Jacob." Angela said after a while when she had finally managed to compose herself again.

This time Bella was the one who was blushing. "He's amazing." She whispered. "I don't know what I would have done without him these last few months. He's been so patient with me."

"I'm so glad that you've been able to move on." Angela said earnestly. "For a while I worried you might not manage it."

Bella exhaled slowly and lowered her gaze to her hands. "I didn't think I ever would, either." She agreed quietly. She took another deep breath and raised her head again, forcing a smile onto her face. "How long will you have to wear the cast?"

"Six to eight weeks for the bones to heal completely." Angela replied. "But the doctors said it could take a few months to regain full use and range of motion for the joint."

Bella looked at her friend with sympathy. She knew how frustrating that could be. She recalled the long recovery time when she had broken her own leg. It had been months before she could walk without pain. Thinking of it brought back memories of Edward and she swallowed thickly as she tried to push them to the back of her mind.

"It was so hard waiting for news." She confessed, trying to cover her emotional reaction. "I wished I could have joined the search."

"There was nothing you could have done." Angela looked guilty. "It was my own stupid fault for wandering off like that. I'm sorry I put you and everyone else through that. I'm sorry you were alone. I know that your Dad and Jacob were part of the search party."

"Oh...I wasn't alone." Bella murmured, her face colouring slightly.

"Well...that's good...isn't it?" Angela studied Bella's face carefully, clearly sensing that something was amiss.

Bella decided to confide in Angela about something that had been bothering her since Trent and Lily had left the night before. She hadn't had a chance to discuss it with Jacob yet and hoped to get some advice from her friend before she broached the subject with him.

"Bella?" Angela prompted her again when she didn't immediately respond. "Is something wrong?"

"Do you remember that girl and her brother I was hanging out with for a while when we all went bowling?" She asked hesitantly.

Angela furrowed her brow as she tried to jog her memory. "I think so."

"I first met them at a party Jake took me to on the res a few weeks ago. Lily and I spent some time together. She was really friendly and introduced me to her brother, Trent."

"Go on." Angela urged her when Bella hesitated again.

Bella's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she remembered how trashed she had gotten at the party. "I kind of drank too much." She admitted. Angela raised her eyebrows in surprise but didn't comment. "Trent was trying to help me stand up. I was wobbling all over the place. Jacob saw him touching me and kinda got the wrong idea and got into a scuffle with Trent."

"Wow!" Angela murmured. "That encounter didn't go down well."

"Exactly." Bella continued with difficulty. "It didn't go down too well at the bowling alley, either. Lily and Trent have gotten it into their heads that Jake is some kind of control freak or something and that I'm exhibiting all the signs of a victim. Last night they came over to support me when they heard you had gone missing, and things got a little heated again...to be honest their interest in me is beginning to freak me out a little."

"Jeez." Angela shook her head in disbelief. "If you've only met them a few times why are they so interested in you?"

"I think it's because Lily had an abusive relationship herself. Trent is very protective of her...too protective really. It's like he's on a mission to save me or something because he couldn't save his sister. But they're so wrong about Jake, but the more I protest and defend him, the more they insist that I'm not thinking clearly." Bella sighed. "I've never been in a controlling relationship...why would they think I'm showing signs of it?"

There was a deafening silence from Angela.

"Angela?" Bella stared at the other girl, her eyes widening at the troubled look on her friend's face. "You don't believe their bullshit about Jake being controlling, do you?"

"No not Jake." Angela said meaningfully.

"What?" Bella's voice went up an octave. "Before Jake there was only Ed..." She paused, her throat tightening as she continued to stare at her friend. "You mean Edward, don't you!"

"He cut you off from your friends. He cut you off from your family. It was always all about him and what he wanted. You changed when you started dating him. I didn't recognise you anymore. When I saw you with him you always had this pinched anxious look on your face as if you were walking on eggshells in fear of upsetting him. At lunchtime you didn't sit with us anymore- your friends-you were always with his family. When we invited you out you always refused." Angela said in a rush. "I tried to broach the subject with you so many times but I just didn't get the chance. He was always with you, constantly. Suddenly he was in all your classes, not just biology. It was like you were never alone, not even for a minute, when you were at school. It was creepy, Bella, the way he had this sick hold over you. It frightened me quite honestly."

"Oh, god!" Bella swallowed the lump that was rapidly forming in her throat. Angela's words were making her feel ill. She saw Angela gaze at her in sympathy as if she knew the thoughts racing through her mind.

"I'm sorry, Bella." Angela apologised, looking a little ashamed of herself. "I should have tried harder to talk to you about it. I should have gone to your dad or something, especially when you came back to school injured just before prom. But when I did pluck up the courage to do something, Edward and his family moved away..." She hesitated for a minute before resuming speaking, her voice quieter this time. "I know how much you suffered when he left...but I was _glad_ he was gone. Do you hate me?"

"No...I could never hate you." Bella sobbed as she drowned under the weight of Angela's damning assessment of her relationship with Edward.

"I'm so glad you met Jacob, Bella. I see the difference in you. You smile when you're around him. You look happy, radiant almost."

"Do I?" She whispered.

"You do. He's good for you, Bella. Whatever this Lily and Trent guy think they're seeing...it has nothing to do with Jake, okay. Just avoid them...you don't need negative reminders of the past." Angela finished with certainty. "You've got so much to look forward to in the future."

"I hope so." Bella murmured as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and smiled tremulously at Angela. "I really do."

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Wow, that was a big old speech from Angela, but I think Bella needed to hear it, don't you?**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Fifteen**

Things between Bella and Jacob were getting heated. It was becoming harder and harder not to cross that line. With Edward she simply didn't have to think about it, even simple kissing was a risk. The way he was always so carefully controlled around her, all the physical boundaries he had put in place between them, had slowly chipped away at her self esteem until she had thought herself undesirable.

It was the opposite with Jacob, he desired her very much. He made it obvious in every look, every touch. His passion for her boosted Bella's fragile ego and she found herself becoming bolder around him. It was like he had awakened the sexual creature inside of her and now there was no going back. She discussed her conundrum with Angela.

"Angela, I think I need to go on the pill. Do they still do that drop in family clinic on Baker Street after school?" She asked.

Angela's only reaction was to raise her eyebrows. She nodded in confirmation to Bella's question. She was on the pill herself after her relationship with Ben took a serious turn, that was until she met Embry. "I think it's from four until eight." She glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one could hear them. The other students swarmed around them as they stood by the lockers. "So, you're definitely going to take the plunge, huh? I think you're doing the right thing. It's best to be protected. Do you want me to come with you?"

And that's why Bella was so grateful to have Angela as a friend. She didn't cast judgement. She listened and then immediately offered her support.

"I'm not ready quite yet, but I don't want to get caught short or anything. I mean if I go on the pill, it must take a while to get in your system or something. Are you sure you don't mind coming with me?" Bella looked at Angela gratefully. She was a little nervous about going on her own, and she didn't feel right asking Jacob to come. It wasn't exactly a guy thing to do.

"Of course not!" Angela linked arms with Bella and leaned on her for support as they moved slowly toward their next class. She was frustrated that her cast was impeding her movement so much and was counting down the days until she could ditch the walking boot along with her crutches.

"Thanks, Angela." Bella smiled happily in relief.

* * *

After school Bella drove her and Angela to the family planning clinic. She took a number because she hadn't been there before, she had to fill out tons of forms about her personal details, current sex life and her medical history. Her cheeks were burning with mortification at the end of it. She was so grateful for Angela's company and knew she wouldn't have had the courage to go through with it on her own. After about an hour of waiting, she was called through to a white sterile room where a lady was waiting for her.

"Hi, Isabella. Come on in." She greeted Bella with a warm smile and motioned for her to sit down.

"Hi." Bella croaked nervously.

"Don't look so worried. I won't bite." The lady chuckled. "So, what can I do for you today?"

"Well, my boyfriend and I are getting pretty serious and are...well...um...close to...um...having sex." She said in a rush. "So I wanted to go on the pill. Is that something I can do here, or do I need to go and see my own doctor?" She finished, playing with her hands, blushing.

The lady smiled kindly. "You can certainly do that here. It says here you're a virgin." She continued, examining the paperwork.

"Um...yeah I am." Bella blushed harder, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her.

"Don't be embarrassed, Isabella. It's great that you're here. I see so many young girls who don't think about going on the pill until it's too late." She said, patting Bella's hand.

Bella breathed a sigh of relief. She had braced herself for a lecture, but the woman was being very nice about it. "Okay, I just need to get some information, like blood pressure and weight and such. Then we can talk about which one will suit you best, alright?"

Bella was glad when all the tests were done. The lady recommended that she go for the combination pill. She told Bella to take it every day, at the same time each day for three weeks, then she didn't need to take it for a week which was when she would have her period. Bella nodded and smiled as the woman grabbed a pad and wrote out the prescription.

"You can get that filled right next door. I've given you a three month supply so you can check how you get on. Next time, if it's all okay, then we'll go for six months." She explained.

"Thank you." Bella was so grateful because the lady had made it so much easier than she thought it would be.

"Here's a leaflet to read, but the important things to note are; you have to take it at the same time every day, and you have to take it every day apart from your week off." The lady smiled and handed Bella the prescription.

"Thanks again." Bella got up to leave.

"Make sure you read all the information on there, Isabella."

"I will." Bella promised.

"Well thanks for coming in. I'll see you in three months." She stood up and grabbed a handful of condoms and put them in a brown bag.

Bella was dying to leave. She was certain she was going to spontaneously combust at any moment.

"You can book another appointment on the way out." The lady concluded cheerfully.

"Thank you." Bella mumbled as she finally made her escape.

* * *

Jacob was waiting for her when she got home. He swept her up into his arms and kissed her passionately, making her heart race and her stomach flutter. After a while he pulled back. "Hey." He breathed, making her shiver with happiness. "So, where were you? I missed you." He murmured, putting his face in her hair and breathing deeply.

Bella laughed and pulled him toward the sofa. She made him sit down next to her. Jacob smirked and pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him. The usual blush coated her cheeks at the love and adoration in his eyes. She ran her hands through his silky black hair, feeling suddenly nervous about what she had to tell him.

"You okay, Bells?" He asked, easily picking up on her anxiety.

Bella didn't answer, instead she stood up and walked over to her bag to get the brown paper bag from the clinic. She sat back on his lap and held the bag out for him to take. Jacob gazed at her, confused, and then looked in the bag. His expression changed to understanding.

"You went to do this on your own?" He asked, frowning slightly.

Bella shook her head. "Angela came with me." She admitted, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Why didn't you tell me? I would've come with you." He said, pulling her closer to him until their noses were almost touching.

"Jake, I just thought that, you know...it's not really a place you take your boyfriend. I wanted to go on the pill; Angela offered to come with me." She shrugged. "I didn't think you'd want to go."

"Bells, I love you. This is about me, too. I want us to do things together. We're a team. I want to support you." He explained, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Jake, I'm sorry, honestly. I didn't really think about it. I just thought most guys wouldn't be interested."

"I'm not most guys." Jacob pointed out. "That was a big thing for you to do and I should have been there for you."

Bella was feeling guilty now. She hadn't factored in his feelings at all. "I'm so sorry. I have to go back in three months for a check up, want to come with me then?" She asked.

"I'll pass." Jacob laughed. "It's not really my thing."

Bella gave him a mock glare and hit him playfully on the shoulder. "You can be such an ass." She replied, joining in his laughter.

* * *

After making out and cuddling for an hour they heard Charlie's cruiser pull up outside. "Dad's home early." Bella complained as she tried to push herself away from Jacob. She sat up, smoothing her hair, hoping that it didn't look like they'd been fooling around for the last hour.

Jacob laughed and pulled her back down beside him. "Charlie can handle this. Come on, he has to get used to it eventually. He's going to see us kiss from time to time." He kissed her on the neck.

The front door opened and Jacob looked up, a smirk playing about his lips. Bella could tell he was enjoying teasing Charlie

"For goodness sake! What did I say about too many PDA's?" Charlie grumbled when he walked into the lounge and saw then cuddling.

Jacob grinned and rolled his eyes as he sat up, shifting slightly so there was a small gap between him and Bella. "Better?" He asked, grinning wickedly.

"Don't push your luck, boy." Charlie wagged his finger at him.

"I'll make a start on dinner." Bella said. She pushed herself off the sofa and headed to the kitchen. As she left the room she heard Jacob offer to watch a sports show with her father. It seemed he had given up on teasing the police chief for now. His suggestion seemed to appease Charlie as her father settled back in the recliner and turned to face the flat screen.

* * *

Bella woke in the morning with a huge smile on her face. The sun had made a rare appearance and was shining brightly through the window. The birds were singing and she had woken up next to the world's sexiest wolf boy. She smiled against his arm that she was lying on and pressed her back into him, feeling his hard chest press into her back where he was spooning her.

"Time to go." Bella whispered, turning her head in his direction.

Jacob's arms tightened around her as he slowly opened his eyes. "Hey." He mumbled, lifting his head so he could kiss her. "I won't be able to sleep over tonight, honey. I'm on night patrol. Quil and Jared will be watching over you instead."

"Oh, well, I'll have two wolf boys to keep me warm instead of one." She quipped, doing her best to cover her disappointment.

"NO WAY!" Jacob rolled her over until she was flat on her back. He hovered over her, his eyes shining with amusement. "I'm the only one allowed in this bed." He growled.

Bella giggled as she pushed on his chest. She could hear the sounds of Charlie stirring next door. "You've got to go." She whispered.

Jacob groaned as he leaned down and kissed her again, then with one easy movement he rolled gracefully off the bed and landed on his feet. Bella envied him his agility. "I'll see you soon. Love ya!" He said, smiling sweetly as he climbed out of the window and jumped lightly to the ground.

* * *

It was grocery day. Bella sat at the kitchen table alone making a list. Charlie had already left for work. She was in the midst of counting the housekeeping money when a knock on the front door disturbed her.

"Jeez." She muttered under her breath as she went to answer it.

Yanking open the door she found Trent standing on the other side of it. Her stomach dropped when she saw him. Following Angela's advice she had mostly ignored his sister's texts and calls, apart from sending one message to tell Lily she didn't want to see her or Trent again. Lily hadn't responded and Bella had thought that was the end of it. But no such luck it seemed!

Trent ran his fingers agitatedly through his floppy black hair over and over again. He seemed nervous and fidgety which put Bella on edge right away. "Didn't Lily show you my text?" She said sharply, not bothering with the usual greetings.

"You texted her?" Trent asked; beads of sweat coated his brow.

"Yes." Bella sighed heavily. "I texted her to tell her that I thought it was best if we didn't contact each other again."

"That's why she's gone missing. Lil has been upset these past few days and I didn't know why. She must have been devastated when she got that text. Why would you do that to her? Is that how you treat all your friends?" Trent accused. "Or was it Jacob Black who told you to do it?"

"This has nothing to do with Jake. I made the decision on my own. And let's get one thing straight, Lily and I are not friends. We barely know each other. I'm sorry if she was hurt by my message but I thought it was best to be truthful. I'm sorry, Trent, I have to go. I'm sure your sister will turn up soon." Bella tried to close the door on him but Trent's hand shot out and he stopped her. "What are you doing?"

Trent reached out and grabbed Bella roughly by the arm. He pulled her outside into the cold air. "You can't just turn your back on us like that. We went out of our way to look out for you. Now you're going to return the favour." He slammed the door shut before Bella could run back inside. "C'mon, you're gonna help me find my sister, and when we do the first thing you are going to do is apologise to her and tell her you didn't mean it."

If Bella didn't know that the house was being guarded by the wolves she would have been afraid. Trent was acting irrationally and was out of control. "Your first mistake was coming back here..." She warned him as she yanked her arm out of his hold.

"What?" Trent glanced uneasily over his shoulder to find Quil and Jared standing a few feet away glaring at him.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Sixteen**

"You've got to be kidding me!" Trent exclaimed to Bella. "Has the guy got you under surveillance now?"

"This has nothing to do with Jacob. You need to back off!" Bella warned him. She was beginning to think the guy had a death wish or something. Jared and Quil looked stern and forbidding. Their size alone would scare off a normal person, but Bella was realising that Trent and his sister were far from normal.

"Bella, open your eyes." Trent implored her. "Seriously...these guys are running some type of cult or something. They're always-"

"You've got until the time I count to ten to get out of here." Jared said severely as he and Quil surrounded Trent on both sides. He began to count. "One, two, three..."

It finally seemed to sink into Trent's thick skin that he was outnumbered here. He looked at Jared and Quil warily as he began to retreat. "I'm worried for you." He called out to Bella as he reached the edge of the property. "I don't think you understand what you're getting yourself involved in."

"Seven, eight, nine..." Jared continued to count, his eyes narrowing when Trent hesitated on the sidewalk. "Ten." He muttered, lunging forward in perfect harmony with Quil as if they were about to launch an attack. Their actions sent Trent running for his life toward his car. A minute later there was a screech of tires and he was gone.

"What a douche bag!" Quil said in disgust as he watched Trent bomb it down the road in his old Volvo.

"Are you okay, Bella?" Jared asked in concern when he noticed her shaking. "Do you want me to get Jake?"

"No, don't disturb him." Bella took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. She was so grateful that Jared and Quil had been close by.

"What is that guy's deal?" Quil shook his head.

"I'm questioning that myself." Bella pushed her hair back from her face. She was supposed to go grocery shopping but she wasn't sure it was wise to leave the house. Her encounter with Trent had shaken her up considerably.

"Is there anything else you need?" Jared asked Bella. He put a steadying hand on her shoulder, still not convinced that she was alright.

"I was about to go shopping." Bella answered as she looked helplessly up at Jared. "But maybe its best I just stay here."

"No way!" Quil butted in. "There's no way that you're gonna let some dumb guy with issues put you under house arrest. We'll come shopping with you."

"We will?" Jared looked less then pleased at that prospect. He hated shopping, and protested whenever his parents tried to rope him in to getting something. "You go." He said to Quil. "I'll stay here in case the freak comes back."

"It looks like it's just you and me, Bella." Quil threw a friendly arm around her shoulders and grinned.

"I can live with that." Bella smiled in response. "And as a reward for rescuing a damsel in distress I might be persuaded to cook you guys a little treat."

"Done." Quil crowed as his mouth began to water in anticipation. All of the pack knew what a killer cook Bella was. There wasn't a day that didn't go by when Jacob failed to taunt them through the pack mind about the latest delicacies Bella made for him. "And just for that I might carry the bags." He offered gallantly.

"Such a gentleman." Bella muttered, giggling when she saw Jared rolling his eyes.

* * *

Bella wasn't the only one grocery shopping. Jacob was none too pleased to find the cupboards empty when he came home after long hours spent patrolling the reservation's borders. Billy wasn't at home. He had left a note telling his son that he had gone on an impromptu fishing trip with Charlie and Harry Clearwater, and would he mind running to the local store to get some supplies. It appeared Charlie had given himself the afternoon off and what better way to spend it then with his two oldest pals.

"Just great!" Jacob cussed under his breath. "How the other half live!"

At first Jacob was determined to just ditch the shopping and use his free time to go and see Bella. He knew that she would feed him. But then his usual guilt set in. He couldn't let his old man go hungry. Billy needed to eat at regular intervals to help keep his blood sugar levels steady. No matter how pissed off he was, there was no way that Jacob was going to let his father's health slide. So, irritably, he grabbed some bags as well as the cash that Billy had left for him and strolled down to the local store.

"Hey there, Jake!" Old Quil greeted him as the little bell above the door pinged. The elder was sitting in his usual spot behind the till. The Atearas store had been in the family for two generations; the decor hadn't been updated since it was first opened. Quil's grandfather didn't believe in modern technology-the ancient till he used was as old as time-a bit like the old man sitting behind it.

"Hi, sir." Jacob gave the elder a polite wave as he passed him.

Old Quil waved back and went back to reading the newspaper spread out in front of him. Occasionally he would make a tutting noise when he read something that displeased him. Jacob ignored the old man as he wandered around the aisles, concentrating on what to buy. The bell above the door pinged again, announcing another customer. Jacob glanced up to find Becky walking toward him. He sighed, he hadn't seen her since the party, and wasn't really interested in conversing with her now. But it was too late to avoid her, she had already seen him.

"Hello there." Becky said with her usual flirtatious smile. She flipped her shiny black hair over one shoulder and tugged down the short denim skirt she was wearing, showing off her shapely legs. "I haven't see you around much."

"That's because I haven't been around." Jacob replied coolly.

Becky ignored his lack of friendliness and continued to flirt with him shamelessly. He had to knock her hand off his chest several times as she tried to engage his attention by touching him.

"Seriously, Becky, if you touch me one more time." He scowled.

Becky looked extremely put out when he said this. She pouted, putting her hands on her hips and assessing him carefully. "Why are you playing so hard to get?"

Jacob just rolled his eyes as he sidestepped around her, but Becky wasn't about to let him go so easily. Her hand caught his as he brushed past and she raised it to her face, smiling when he glared at her impatiently.

"I like a man with strong hands." She purred.

"I'm not interested. I have a girlfriend." Jacob snapped as he snatched his hand away.

"Not that pale faced girl you brought to the party?" She demanded incredulously.

"Her name is Bella." Jacob corrected her. "And she's beautiful."

"My god!" Becky snorted sarcastically. "You are easily pleased."

"No, I'm hard to please." Jacob retorted, smirking as he looked Becky up and down derisively. "I just know what I like and you're not it."

Becky's lips twitched. "I see." She murmured. "Then I have no guilt about doing this."

"What?"

Before Jacob could react to her next move, Becky surprised him by pressing herself against his side and snapping a selfie of them together with her cell. She was laughing when he pushed her away. "Thanks, Jacob." She said, swinging her hips as she sauntered out of the store.

* * *

"Did you get it?"

Becky peered into the shadows but all she could see was the other girl's outline and not much else. "I did." She muttered.

"Then send it to me."

"Just let me tell you I don't like being blackmailed." Becky said shortly as she prepared to send a copy of the selfie of her and Jacob to the number the shadow girl had given her. She paused. "You seem so desperate for this. What's it worth?"

"Don't test my patience. If you don't want your parents to find out about the wild parties you throw when they're on one of their business trips, then I suggest you send it to me right now."

"Whatever." Becky was still annoyed that Jacob had managed to resist her charms so easily. She was beautiful, she was desirable, much more than that emo looking girl he was so attached to. She pressed send and smiled when she heard the shadow girl's phone buzz. "There it's all yours. I've kept up my end of the bargain. Now you keep yours."

"Done."

Becky saw a flash of white in the half darkness as the shadow girl smiled in triumph. Then just as suddenly she was gone.

* * *

Bella squealed in delight when Jacob paid her an unexpected visit. She was covered in flour after spending the afternoon baking to replace all the snacks that Quil and Jared had devoured earlier that day. When it came time for them to leave the two boys had kissed her sloppily on each cheek, leaving her blushing.

Jacob pressed his body to hers. "You are so perfect." He brushed her hair away from her face gently, looking at her so tenderly it made her heart melt.

Bella put her arms around him and pulled him closer, then feeling bold, she then moved her hands down to grip his ass. Jacob smiled his sexy smile at her and pressed his lips onto hers gently. Bella whimpered slightly, pulling him closer and wanting more.

Jacob pulled away to kiss down her neck, his hands roaming down her body. One of his hands slid under her shirt, tickling his fingers on the sensitive skin teasingly. She felt him sucking gently on her neck.

"Are you giving me a hickey?" She asked, giggling.

Jacob stopped sucking for a second and pulled his mouth away from her skin. "Yep!" He said, popping the P. "I'm branding you." He murmured, before sucking on the same spot again. After a few seconds he pulled away to look at it, inspecting his handiwork. He looked extremely proud of himself and was grinning from ear to ear. For the moment Bella forgot all about her bizarre encounter with Trent earlier that day.

"Right, and do I get to brand you?" She teased.

"Sure, if you want to." He agreed, shrugging but actually looking a little hopeful. He pressed his lips to hers again, seeming to set her body on fire. Jeez, how on earth did he do this? He was the only guy she had ever kissed like this. Yet here she was, letting him touch her so intimately, letting him put his hand on her ass! She smiled as he tipped his head to the side, giving her better access to his neck. Just as her lips touched his skin the front door banged open and Charlie called her name.

"Bells, I'm home!" He announced cheerfully. "And I've got fish."

Bella and Jacob looked at each other and groaned in defeat.

* * *

Jacob left around eight o'clock, feeling full for once after devouring one of Bella's kick ass meals. With Charlie hovering around them there hadn't been much chance for them to talk, so it wasn't until he phased that he learned about the visit that Trent had paid earlier that day.

Bella was humming to herself as she floated around the kitchen clearing up. Even though she knew she was going to have to spend the night without Jacob in her bed, she was at least thankful she had gotten to spend some time with him.

"He makes you happy." Charlie said from the kitchen doorway.

Bella blushed, not realising she was so obvious. But she could hardly deny it. "Yes, he does."

"That's good, kiddo. I'm happy if you're happy." Charlie's face relaxed into a smile. "But, god, can that boy eat!"

Bella laughed. Jacob didn't just have second helpings but third and fourth. "He does like his food." She agreed.

"It's lucky I stocked up with all that fish then." Charlie rubbed his full stomach in satisfaction at the remembrance of the tasty fish pie Bella had made. "Do you need any help with the washing up, Bells?" He offered.

"No, you go and watch the game." Bella dumped the last of the dishes in the sink.

"Are you sure?" Charlie checked one last time.

"Go!" Bella ordered him, giggling when he ran off eagerly like a little kid.

She felt her cell phone buzz in the back pocket of her jeans and pulled it out. It was probably a text from Jacob. The laughter died on her lips when she opened the message and looked at the screen.

It wasn't a message from Jacob. It was from Lily.

_'I thought it was only fair that you should see this. I got this from Becky's Facebook page. I'm here for you Bella.'_

Underneath was a photo of Jacob and Becky with the good hair. She was smiling at the camera flirtatiously while pressed close into his side. It carried the caption _#cute couple #shopping with my bae!_

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Seventeen**

When Charlie came into the kitchen during the commercial break half-an-hour later to grab a beer, he found the dishes still soaking in the sink, and Bella sitting at the table staring at her phone. She seemed like she was in a trance. She hadn't even raised her head to look at him when he walked in.

"You okay, kiddo?" He asked uneasily.

Bella finally seemed to come to life. She shook her head as if to clear it, then gave him the falsest smile he had ever seen from her. "I'm just fine, Dad." She lied.

Charlie sighed as he gave up on the game and settled down in a vacant chair opposite her. "You can't fool your old man, Bells. Talk to me."

"Really, Dad, there's nothing wrong." Bella said too brightly as she made a clumsy attempt to hide her phone.

Charlie raised his eyebrows as he motioned for her to hand him the phone. Bella tensed, holding it against her chest, considering whether just to make a run for it. She really didn't want Charlie to see the photo of Jacob and Becky, he might get the wrong idea.

"There's nothing to see." She protested.

"Let me be the judge of that." Charlie said testily as he reached across the table and took it out of her limp grip.

Bella didn't bother to fight him. What was the point? He knew something was up. Over the last couple of years he had learned the hard way to read her moods. Added to the fact that she had always been a shitty liar. Slumping in her seat she watched as a deep frown marred her father's forehead as he studied the photo intently.

"What the hell is a bae?" He asked eventually, genuinely puzzled.

Bella was surprised he was asking about this and not the girl pressed tightly into Jacob's side. "Um...it's a social media term for babe or baby, sometimes before anyone else." She mumbled.

"Is this the crap they're teaching in schools these days? Jake looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights. I can't say I'm surprised. That young Becky has always been an attention seeker. It looks like she's just got worse now she's gotten older." Charlie passed the phone back to his daughter.

"You know Becky?" Bella didn't know why she should be surprised. Charlie had practically grown up on the res with Billy and Harry. It was like his second home.

"I know _of_ her." Charlie corrected her. "She's been brought up by a string of nannies and carers. Her parents are busy people, never at home much. Even if you've got money you can still be neglected. That's why she acts out so much."

"Oh." Bella said in a small voice. She looked at the photo again. Charlie's assessment of Jacob was true. He looked very uncomfortable, his body was partially leaning away from Becky as if he was trying to escape. It was obvious the other girl had surprised him.

Charlie was studying her reactions carefully. "You're not doubting Jake are you, Bells? That boy adores you, anyone with half a brain can see it."

"No." Bella mumbled, but her flushed cheeks gave her away.

"Oh, Bells." Charlie sighed again and reached across the table to take her hand. "Not all boys are like that asshole Cullen. You've got to love what's good for you and let go of what hurts."

"Like you did with Mom?" Bella asked in a small voice.

Charlie flinched, but didn't let go of her hand. "Yes, like I did with Renee."

"But you've never moved on. You still live in the same house. You don't date or anything." Bella whispered, it was a subject she had never really brought up with her father before because it was too painful.

"That's my choice and has nothing to do with Renee." Charlie stated firmly.

"So you like being an eternal bachelor?"

"That's not what I said. One day it might happen...never say never." He smiled to take the sting out of his words. "Anyway, enough about the lack of romance in my life, what I want to know is who sent you that photo? Was it Becky?"

"No...it was Lily. She said she got it from Becky's Facebook page."

"Lily?

"That girl I met at the party Jake took me to." Bella reminded him.

"Oh, that Lily. I haven't met her, have I?"

"No, mainly because I'd decided I didn't want to be friends with her."

"And did you tell her that?" Charlie asked.

"Yes..several times. The last time by text. She didn't seem to be getting the hint." Bella thought about her last encounter with Lily and then with Trent when he'd turned up at the house to demand she come with him to search for his missing sister. It seemed Lily wasn't missing after all.

"So you think that this Lily sent this photo to you as a way to hurt you?" Charlie prompted.

Bella shrugged, she had given up trying to work Lily and her brother out. All she did know was that she was tired of dealing with them. She was regretting ever going to that damn party, and definitely regretting getting so trashed while she was there.

"I don't know what her deal is quite honestly, Dad. I just want her and her stupid brother to leave me alone."

"She has a brother who has been hassling you, too?" Charlie wasn't happy hearing this piece of news. "Why didn't you mention this to me before? How old is this boy?"

"I'm not sure...maybe twenty or so. Lily is my age." Bella suddenly realised she didn't know all that much about Lily or Trent at all.

"And their last name?" Charlie demanded. He was in full cop mode now.

Bella's forehead wrinkled as she struggled to recall Lily's surname. It was something simple, like Smith or Jones or..."Brown." She almost shouted. "Their last name is definitely Brown."

"And their address?"

Bella felt crestfallen. "I don't know. They never told me. They live on the res but I don't know where."

"It shouldn't be too hard to find out. Either Billy or Harry will know. It might be a good time to have a word with their parents. What's the boy's name?"

"Trent."

Charlie's brow furrowed. "Lillian and Trent Brown? Are you sure that's their names?"

"Of course I'm sure."

Charlie was looking troubled. He swept his hand through his hair and sat up straighter in his chair. "Bells, I'm going to go out for a while. Will you be okay on your own?"

"Where are you going so late? Dad, what is it?" Bella demanded, picking up on his agitation. He knew something she could tell. As soon as she had said Trent's name it was like something had slotted into place for him.

"I can't say anything until I talk to Billy." Charlie hedged. "I could be wrong." He muttered as he rose to his feet. "I hope I'm wrong."

"Dad, stop being so cryptic." Bella was panicking now. "You know something, don't you!"

"I'm not sure what I know...but I'll be back. Just stay here." He paused, reaching out to hug her quickly. "Don't worry, Bells. I'll sort this. Don't worry." He stroked the back of her hair before letting go. "Just trust your old man, okay."

"Okay." She mumbled. It seemed she really didn't have much choice. He seemed determined not to say anything until he had talked to Billy. She watched miserably as he grabbed his jacket and headed out into the cold night air.

* * *

Bella wasn't alone for long. About fifteen minutes after Charlie left for La Push, Jacob turned up unexpectedly. Bella was so glad to see him that she rushed into his arms without even questioning what he was doing there. He wrapped her up in his embrace and carried her into the lounge. He sat down on the sofa and pulled her down with him.

"Come here, I want to talk to you." He said, looking concerned.

Bella sat close to him, her nerves building at the look on his face. She'd had quite a few shocks for one day and wasn't looking forward to more."What do you want to talk about?"

Jacob took her face between his hands and looked deep into her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me about that Trent guy harassing you? I had to find out from Jared and Quil."

"I'm sorry. I was just so happy to see you that it slipped my mind. Anyway Jared and Quil were here to look after me. They chased Trent off."

"I know they did, but you should still have told me." Jacob let go of her face and leaned in for a kiss.

Almost at once the passion began to build between them, and Bella knew it wouldn't be long before she was ready to take things further with him. She had never felt like this before and although they had only been together officially for a short while, she'd known him forever. Despite the small doubts that had initially surfaced when she had first laid eyes on the photo of him and Becky, her subsequent talk with Charlie had soon put those to rest. It was just her insecurities talking. She trusted Jacob like no one else and knew he wouldn't hurt her.

Bella wasn't worried about him waiting for her, she could see in his eyes that he would wait as long as she wanted, and that knowledge was pushing her forwards. If she had any real doubts, then there would be no way that she would feel like this. She gripped his hand tightly as she pulled out of the kiss and just looked at him, trying to find the right words to express her feelings for him.

"What's wrong, Bells?" He asked quietly, frowning and rubbing circles on the back of her hand. "You don't need to worry about that Trent guy. I'll deal with him. He won't bother you again. I promise."

"That's not it." Bella said breathlessly. "Anyway, I don't need you to deal with him. Charlie's taking care of it."

"Wow, you told Charlie." Jacob did little to hide his surprise.

"Yes."

"Why do you still look so worried then?" Jacob continued to stroke the back of her hand with his thumb.

Oh crap, could she say it? Bella felt so embarrassed. Apart from Edward she had never said anything like this to anyone before, and she sure as hell never thought she would ever say it to anyone again.

She took a deep breath and willed her voice not to show the nerves she felt inside. "I love you, Jake." She said honestly.

Jacob looked at her, shock clear across his face. His mouth was hanging open, his dark eyes wide as he took in what she had said.

Bella couldn't help but laugh ."Okay, that's not how I imagined your reaction."

Jacob pushed her down on her back onto the sofa, rolling on top of her. "You love me? Seriously?" He asked, the shock leaving his face to be replaced with excitement.

Bella nodded, feeling her cheeks heat up slightly. "Yes, I love you."

Jacob laughed and kissed her passionately. When he pulled away his eyes were sparkling with happiness. "Say it again, honey." He whispered.

Bella wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer until his mouth was an inch away from hers. "I love you Jacob Ephraim Black."

"I love you too, Bella Marie Swan." Jacob kissed her hard, and she couldn't help but kiss him back with the same intensity. She ran her hands down his back and gripped the bottom of his t-shirt, pulling it up over his head, trailing her fingers down his chest, just marvelling at how flawless he was. His hands were roaming all over her body in return; he gripped the bottom of her top and started pulling it up slowly, as if waiting for some sort of reaction. Bella felt her love for him bump up another gear because of how thoughtful and patient he was being. She smiled against his lips and he pulled away, looking at her curiously.

"Okay?" He asked, concern colouring his voice.

She nodded and pushed him off of her so she could sit up. She gripped her top and pulled it over her head, throwing it to the floor. Jacob just watched her wide-eyed, awestruck by her increasing boldness. Bella pulled him back to her, kissing him deeply. His hands were everywhere while they made out but he didn't do anything she didn't want him to. It was perfect and sweet. An incredible end to a very stressful day.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Eighteen**

Billy was in the grip of silent panic, wild eyes, pupils dilated, heart racing, brain on fire, it felt like a cluster fuck of emotions was exploding in his brain, the shrill scream of the past returning to drag him back down to hell.

"No...no...no...no!"

"Hey, calm the fuck down." Charlie was hunkered down in front of him, his face awash with concern. "If you carry on like this you're gonna give yourself a coronary."

Billy stared at Charlie in despair, the shrill screams still ricocheting around his frozen mind. They weren't his screams, they were Sarah's. He could almost hear the sharp squealing of brakes, the sound of crunching metal, and the shattering of her bones as the car she was driving collapsed in on itself.

"It's not true." He whispered hoarsely. "It's not!"

"I would never have come to you with this if I didn't suspect that this Lily and Trent, who have been harassing my daughter, were not the same ones who were involved in that car wreck with Sarah." Charlie's voice was full of guilt. "The last thing I wanted to do was dredge any of this up."

"I don't...don't understand." Billy faltered, his whole body was trembling so bad that he could barely breathe. "I..."

"Listen to me." Charlie cut him off urgently. He rested his hands on each one of the armrests of Billy's wheelchair and looked his shattered friend steadily in the eyes. "I went to the station before I came here to do some background checking. I wanted to have all the facts. I found out that eighteen year old Lillian Brown was released from a psychiatric facility in Seattle and was placed in the care of her older brother, Trent, about a month ago."

"She was in a psychiatric facility?" Billy was frozen in panic as the horror slowly sank in. "Oh my god!"

Charlie sighed and sat back on his haunches, his face grave. "How much does Jake know about Sarah's accident?" He asked quietly.

Billy blanched. "Nothing."

"Nothing!" Charlie was truly shocked. "I know you were trying to shield him when he was younger, but now? Keeping this a secret from him means he's now going to find out in the worst way."

"My boy has been through enough!" Billy cried. "He adored his mother. I couldn't bear to be the one who had to shatter his ideal of her."

"For fucks sake, Billy." Charlie thundered as he spun onto his feet. He began to pace back and forth angrily. "This isn't just about shielding Jake from the truth, it's to shield yourself. And now my daughter has been dragged into this mess because of your inability to accept that your wife was a selfish drunkard, who got behind the wheel of a car when she was trashed, and nearly ended up wiping out a whole family as well as herself!"

"Stop! Just stop!" Billy put his shaking hands over his ears to block Charlie out.

Charlie was so fired up that he wasn't done pulling punches. He grabbed Billy's wrists and yanked his hands away from his face. "You can't keep hiding."

"Sarah was ill. She tried. You don't know how hard she tried to get better." Billy pleaded as tears began to roll down his lined face.

"Did the girls know? Is that why Rachel and Rebecca left? Did they find out the truth?" Charlie demanded.

Billy nodded miserably. "I tried to explain to them, but the more I tried to defend Sarah, the more they raged at me for keeping the truth from them."

Charlie let go of Billy's wrists and straightened up again. "Oh, Billy, didn't you learn from their reaction? Trent and Lillian lost their parents in that smash. It was only by the grace of god that they survived themselves-although Lillian was left with some brain damage."

"The thought of what happened to those poor kids has haunted me for years." Billy whispered desolately. "What they must have suffered!"

"Billy, Sarah was behind that wheel, not you. What happened was not your fault...but how you've handled it since is." Charlie's anger was fading now. He had been witness to Billy's decline over the years as he bore the burden of his wife's fatal mistake in getting behind the wheel when she was three times the legal limit. "I don't know why Trent and Lily are back here now, or what their real agenda is-I've put a BOLO out for them-but you're gonna have to face the fact that you finally need to be honest with Jacob about his mother."

With sad eyes filled with unspeakable pain Billy reached out, fingers extended toward Charlie. His hand shook as he waited for his best friend to take it, to offer the support he so badly needed. He felt hope, just a tiny flicker against the wind, as Charlie took his hand in his steadfast grip.

"I'll be there when you do." He promised.

* * *

Bella looked at the clock. She was surprised at how late it was. "Dad will probably be home soon, maybe we should get dressed." She said, feeling reluctant as Jacob's fingers trailed over her bra and stomach.

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, I don't think your old man would be best pleased if he caught us like this. I don't want to risk him coming after me with his shotgun." He replied in mock horror. He laughed, grabbing Bella's top from the floor and passing it to her, kissing her again tenderly.

When they were both dressed again, they sat watching TV until Charlie finally came home. Bella couldn't keep the smile off her face, Jacob loved her, she loved him and everything was perfect. There was nothing that could spoil their happiness. It was past eleven when they heard Charlie's key turn in the lock. They shared another quick kiss before the police chief finally walked inside. He seemed to take an age taking off his jacket and boots in the hall before eventually making his way into the lounge. When he did he appeared shocked to find Jacob there.

"When did you get here?" He asked rather abruptly.

Bella frowned at her father's unusual display of rudeness. It was so unlike Charlie. She was about to call him out on it when she noticed the pinched look on his face. He looked totally beat. Then she remembered why he had gone to La Push to see Billy in the first place. All her old fears came crashing down around her, shattering her happy bubble of just Jake and Bells.

"What did you find out?" She whispered.

Jacob was looking between them in confusion. He had picked up on the tension, but he was in the dark as to what it was about. He stroked Bella's lower back with his warm fingers to try and relax her.

Despite his daughter's question, Charlie was only focused on Jacob. He swallowed thickly, his expression grave. "Your dad has been looking for you, kid." He said roughly. "Let me drive you home."

"Is he alright?" Jacob asked urgently, rising to his feet. "He's not ill?"

"No, he's not ill, son." Charlie ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "But there is something important he needs to tell you."

Bella pushed herself off the sofa. She was starting to feel sick. Why did she have the horrible feeling this important information Billy suddenly needed to impart had to do with Trent and Lily. She willed herself not to freak out. She didn't want to descend into another full blown panic attack.

"Is it...is it something to do with Trent and Lily?" She asked, barely able to speak through the lump in her throat. Her hands were shaking. She felt Jacob reach out and grab one of her hands and she looked at him gratefully.

Charlie became uncomfortable. "I'm not going to lie to you...it is." He confessed.

"What the hell is going on?" Jacob demanded. "Bells?" He looked to her for confirmation.

"I told you that I told Charlie about Lily and her brother." Bella explained. "Dad picked up on something but he went to La Push to check something with Billy."

"You never told me that part." Jacob said quietly.

"I'm sorry." Bella begged him with her eyes, pleading for understanding.

"It's okay that you didn't." Jacob could tell she was barely holding it together. He smiled tenderly, squeezing her fingers gently in reassurance. He returned his attention to Charlie. "What do you know?" He asked.

Charlie cleared his throat awkwardly. "Before I say anything you really need to speak to your dad." He suggested. "Come on, I'll drive you."

"I'm not leaving Bella when she's upset. You tell me." Jacob demanded stubbornly.

"It has to come from him." There was a flash of sympathy in Charlie's eyes that aroused Jacob's suspicions further. "And Bella will be coming with us. None of us should be alone right now. Come on, let me drive you home." He offered.

Jacob looked down at Bella. She was looking a little scared. He felt scared too, but he couldn't show it. She was his first priority. Pressing the police chief further wasn't getting him anywhere. The older man was determined he hear Billy out before saying anything else.

"Are you okay with this, Bells?" He checked.

"We need to do this." Bella said nervously, glancing at Charlie's solemn face again.

"Okay." Jacob finally agreed. He put his arm around her shoulders. Bella pressed against his side, gripping the back of his t-shirt tightly as they followed Charlie out to the cruiser.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Nineteen**

There was something in that shout of denial, a deep pain behind it. Bella watched. She watched Jacob's eyes. She knew the anger he was exhibiting at Billy was nothing but a shield for the hurt he was feeling, like a corned soldier randomly throwing out grenades, scared for his life, lonely, desperate. He breathed in real slow, slight tremors running through his body. Bella knew that once the shield clattered to the ground and his pain tumbled out he would lose it completely and could phase inside the house.

"Leave!" She whispered to him urgently. "Go! I'll come and find you."

Jacob cast one last desperate glance in her direction and flew from the house, leaving the front door swinging open behind him. Billy was left sobbing in his wheelchair, his hands covering his lined face.

Charlie seemed surprised that Bella was calmly watching Jacob go. "I thought you..." He began uncertainly.

"We need to give him his space." Bella had grown emotionally over the last few months. She had learned the hard way that emotional growth is much akin to physical fitness, in that the more you practise being empathetic and kind, the more you do the right thing. Jacob leaving was the right thing for him. He needed to burn off his anger, she knew that his brothers would look after him, and when the time was right she would go and find him. He would be running for a long time yet. "I'm going to make us all something to eat."

Charlie sighed and ran his fingers through his greying hair and gave his daughter a half smile. He was proud of the way she was handling the tense situation. She had voiced no blame that Billy had essentially thrown an emotional grenade right into Jacob's heart. Whatever she was really thinking or feeling she had the grace to keep it to herself. Anyone could see that Billy was suffering enough.

"Billy...Billy..." Charlie hunkered down in front of his friend and tried to prise his friend's hands away from his face. Billy's whole frame shuddered as Charlie finally succeeded, but he was shocked at the sheer devastation blazing in his eyes. "You should have something to eat." He said gruffly. "You need to keep your strength up."

Billy tried to mop up his bleeding heart as he focused on Charlie's face. "I should never have lied to him. This was one lie too many. He'll never forgive me for this...never!"

Charlie didn't know what other lies Billy was talking about. All he knew was if his friend didn't eat something, anything, then his blood sugar levels could drop to dangerous levels and the consequences of that would be severe. "You can't be selfish, Billy." He scolded lightly. "You have to look after yourself. Even if you have to keep apologising to Jake for the rest of your life, it won't help the situation if you make yourself ill."

Billy groaned and wiped his face with the back of his hand. Deep down he knew Charlie was right. He wouldn't be sitting in the damn chair now if he had looked after himself properly when Sarah died. Instead he had wallowed in self-pity, letting the knowledge of what was behind the accident hang around his neck like a dead albatross.

"Here drink this." Bella came up silently behind them, carrying a tray of hot drinks.

Billy met her steady gaze, his guilt eating away at him. He expected to see blame in her brown eyes, but instead they showed nothing but concern for him. "Thank you." He said shakily.

"You're welcome." Bella murmured as Charlie lifted one of the mugs from the tray and handed it to his friend. Billy took it gratefully and began to drink.

"Dad, do you want to help me in the kitchen?" Bella prompted him.

Charlie nodded, climbing slowly to his feet. It was obvious she had more questions for him, but wanted to do it out of earshot of Billy. At least Billy seemed calmer now. Breathing easier, Charlie took the mug that Bella offered him, before following her back into the kitchen.

* * *

The whole pack surrounded Jacob as he howled his misery to the blackened skies above. His two wingmen, Quil and Embry, kept pace with him, running fluidly by his side and offering their silent support. It hadn't taken them long to read his jumbled thoughts and learn the truth of the situation.

Jacob was grateful for his brothers presence, even though the one he really wanted to be with he'd left behind at the house. He knew Bella understood that the powerful emotions he was feeling had to be expressed far away in the wilds. If he had let himself stay those emotions would have been released in the worst way. He breathed slow and let time slow down, taking photographs with only his eyes. Tonight he knew he would dream of his mother, those dreams, once so comforting, would now only bring him pain, knowing that she was not as he had always perceived her to be.

* * *

Charlie stood side by side with Bella at the kitchen counter as he helped her to make some sandwiches. She looked thoughtful, her expression troubled. She still hadn't spoken even though she had brought him into the kitchen so they could talk. He tried to imagine what was passing through her mind as she cut the bread into perfect slices.

Bella's mind was actually on Jacob. She kept seeing his devastated face on repeat, she didn't think she had ever seen him so hurt, so bitterly angry as he raged at Billy for keeping something so immensely important from him. She knew for him, it was just one lie too many that Billy had told. His feeble excuses that he'd done it to protect his memory of Sarah just didn't wash anymore. He'd practically made the same excuses when Jacob first turned wolf. Protecting someone from a harsh truth by lying was no protection at all.

_Then there was Lily and Trent..._

She frowned, thinking about Trent's overprotective attitude toward Lily. She understood why now. To lose both parents like that! She felt her throat close up in sympathy. How they must have suffered! She couldn't even imagine how she would have coped if anything like that had happened to Charlie or Renee.

Bella decided that Lily was acting out because she was clearly in the throes of her own personal hell. Maybe it was the way she was wired, it was her way of coping with a tragedy that had no easy answers. In the end it had been a senseless loss of life. Sarah's decision to drive drunk that day had taken something precious away from her and her brother, she was still living with the consequences, it was affecting her mental health and by a second degree, Trent's as well.

But despite this, and the huge amount of empathy that Bella felt for them, it didn't give them the right to terrorise her or Jacob in this way. Jacob was blameless, just as much a victim of cruel circumstance as they were. They needed to be shown this, made to understand that by trying to seek revenge or whatever it was they wanted, achieved nothing but pain. Someone needed to reach out to them, to help them to heal, to bring light where there was dark. Otherwise the darkness of their despair would win and they would both drown. Just like she had when Edward had left, until Jacob had rescued her.

"Bells, you can talk to me you know." Charlie said quietly, breaking through her troubled thoughts. "Is there anything you want to ask me?"

Bella looked up at him and felt a rush of affection wash over her. He looked so concerned, so worried about her. He was such a good man, and he was a great father, she just never let herself appreciate him enough before. She reached out and hugged him, taking Charlie completely by surprise. He hesitated a moment, before wrapping his arms carefully around her.

"I love you, Dad. If I don't tell you that often enough then I'm sorry." Bella apologised tearfully.

"I love you, too." Charlie said, his voice rough with emotion. "I'm proud of you, kid."

"Thanks." Bella sniffed and pulled out of his embrace, smiling weakly. "I have to go now."

"Go? Where?" Charlie felt completely confused.

"To Jake." Bella replied simply. She reached out and grabbed her jacket.

"But you don't know where he is. Bells, it's dark outside-" Charlie called after her.

"I know exactly where he is and he needs me. Don't worry about me. You stay with Billy." Bella yelled as she pulled open the back door and ran out into the dark night.

* * *

Bella found Jacob sitting on the same old bleached out driftwood log that had been the setting for many of their most emotional moments. He wasn't alone, Embry and Quil sat with him. A sliver of moonlight guided Bella on her path toward them as she navigated her way across the wet sand. For once it was a cloudless night; the sky was freckled with thousands upon thousands of stars. She watched as Embry nudged Quil as she approached. The two boys rose onto their feet, whispering quietly to Jacob, he murmured something back in response. They nodded in unison-waving to Bella in greeting-before running off and melting into the darkness.

Jake's eyes were wide with agony, his hands clenched into fists, his jaw clamped tight. "I didn't mean to leave you." He said in a controlled voice when Bella settled down beside him. "But I couldn't stay, either."

"I know." Bella whispered.

The moonlight remained a diffuse ocean, bathing them in its watery silver-white glow. In the distance the trees were silhouetted against the deep velvety sky.

"I don't think I can ever forgive him, Bells." Jacob admitted harshly. "I'm just so angry."

"You will forgive him-maybe not right away-but you will." Bella said with certainty. "Despite how wrong he was by lying, he did it out of love for you."

Jacob shook his head. Bella reached out and pulled his face around to look at her. "You will, Jake. Trust me. You love your dad. He needs you and you need him."

"I need you." Jacob replied roughly, his breath hitching as he tried to keep the tears in check.

"I'm right here." Bella promised him. "I'm not going anywhere. I love you, Jake." She whispered, hugging him tightly. "You can let go now."

_So he did..._

Jacob sobbed her name, barely able to get his words out, his voice hitching and catching through his sobs. Bella's arms tightened around him, so tight that she felt the strain. Jacob grabbed her, holding on so tight that it was actually starting to hurt her ribs.

"Jake." She murmured a warning, gripping her hands in his hair. His whole body was so tense, but at the sound of her voice he loosened his grip and buried his face into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Bella soothed him with sweet words and loving kisses as she pulled his head from her shoulder and let her lips travel all over his beloved face.

Slowly Jacob began to relax. His breathing steadied and he was now meeting Bella's kisses with his own. He pulled her onto his lap, wanting her as close as possible. He could feel the rapid beating of her heart and concentrated on that. The anger toward Billy, which was a residual effect from his anger toward Sarah, melted away to be replaced with something more tangible- a deep seated sadness that he knew he would always carry with him whenever he thought about his mother.

Bella stared into Jacob's eyes, he looked so sad and vulnerable; his eyes were still red rimmed from crying. She hated that he was hurting, but was glad that he'd let his emotions out. Keeping then trapped inside would only have caused him more pain the future. She didn't think that Jacob had a proper release like that before-or at least not since he was a little kid.

In the darkness cuddling Bella felt like a little touch of heaven. They were warm, together, cosy. Jacob wished he could extend the night so he could stay close to her for longer, safe in her embrace. Her arms wrapped around him brought a sense of peace he'd never known before, a calming of the storms in his heart. She gave him hope for the future. In her embrace he could let himself believe that he could conquer any fears, that sunshine would return to his life again one day. Her cuddles was all the medicine he needed, she was his light in the darkness, a lone star in the otherwise empty sky.

Jacob felt Bella curl herself up into a ball on his lap, pulling her knees up and tucking her face into his neck. He rocked her gently as he looked at the moonlight shining on the ocean like a pale band of silver. Soon he would have to go home and face his father, but for a little longer he decided to be selfish and stay right here, holding onto the last few precious moments of fragile peace.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Twenty**

Things remained strained between Jacob and his father for a week or so before things finally began to thaw. It wasn't in his nature to hold onto grudges- he loved his father-and soon his usual sunny nature reasserted itself once he decided to forgive and move on. Father and son had quite a few deep and meaningful conversations about Sarah, the past, about everything, and they were finally able to lay to rest some deep seated issues that had been hovering below the surface of their relationship ever since Jacob had first phased.

Of Trent and Lily there was no sign. Bella and Jacob had decided to let Charlie handle them, but despite the police chief's best efforts, he had been unable to track them down.

* * *

When Bella woke up on Friday morning, Jacob was already up and getting dressed quietly. "Hey, are you doing the walk of shame?" She teased, wondering why he was sneaking out of her room without saying goodbye. It was unusual for him to wake up before she did.

Jacob laughed and pulled his t-shirt on before climbing back onto the bed. Bella hooked her fingers in the belt loops of his cut off denim shorts, pulling him closer to her. "The only shame I have is that I have to get out of your bed. I would happily stay in bed with you forever, but Sam called an early meeting, remember." He kissed her softly, causing the usual little flutters in her stomach that his kissing always evoked in her.

"Ugh, Sam!" Bella sighed dramatically. "Is he changing the patrol schedules again? You've been putting more hours in then the others-and are always happy doing the night shifts-so what does he have to complain about?" She whined, pulling Jacob closer to her, stopping him from getting up.

"Yeah, but unlike the others I spend a lot of those night time hours sleeping in your bed...and other more enjoyable things!" Jacob smiled, pulling her on top of him.

Bella looked at his face, his eyes were a little tight, it may be a small thing but she knew every facial expression of his so well that she was sure he was hiding something. "Is something wrong, Jake?" She asked in a more serious tone.

Jacob smiled and tangled his fingers into her hair. "Nothing's wrong. Don't worry your pretty little head about anything."

"You do realise how patronising you sound, right?" Bella said sarcastically.

"Sorry." Jacob apologised with a soft kiss to her lips. He still looked uncomfortable, though.

Bella just nodded, it was obvious that he was keeping something from her, he'd tell her eventually. She trusted him. She knew he loved her. Maybe it was Sam insisting on secrecy again. She bent forward and kissed him, pulling away to bite his chin, he loved it when she did that. His hands tightened on her waist as his breathing started to speed; she smiled and bit his earlobe.

Jacob groaned. "Bells, I need to go. Don't tease me."

Bella smiled against his neck and sat up, pouting, deciding to have some fun with him before he left. She gave another dramatic sigh. "Okay, well Charlie's already left for work...I kinda thought we could use the opportunity to take our first shower together."

Jacob groaned again. "Bells, don't do this to me, it's not fair." He grumbled, frowning.

Bella couldn't help but laugh at his lustful expression as she climbed off of him. "Well, have fun with your meeting." She ordered, kissing him again softly.

He brushed her hair behind her ear. "I love you. I'll try and meet you after school."

"Okay." Bella watched as he climbed off the bed and began to walk out of the door. With Charlie at work he was able to use the back door instead of his usual route. "Jake." She called to him before he left. "I love you, too."

Jacob gave her the sweetest smile before he closed the bedroom door behind him.

* * *

School passed unbelievably slowly because Angela wasn't in to keep her company. She was at the hospital for a routine check up on her broken ankle. Instead she was stuck with Mike Newton mooning after her from afar and being forced to listen to Lauren's bitchy comments during lunch. Not that many people took much notice of the evil blonde. Lauren had stepped on too many toes recently and lost a lot of friends, even Jessica Stanley, who was campaigning to get back in Bella's good books.

"We haven't hung out in ages, Bella." Jessica said as she fluffed her long, curly black hair.

"That was your choice not mine." Bella replied cattily. "You seemed to enjoy the company of your new friends." She glanced pointedly in Lauren's direction.

Jessica had the grace to look uncomfortable. "It was just a big misunderstanding." She cleared her throat as Lauren made a sneering comment about the smell coming from their end of the table. "I've missed you, Bella." She continued in a low whisper as Lauren continued with her barbed comments. "I made a mistake."

"Well that was one BIG mistake." Bella wasn't in the mood to be forgiving. She stood up and shoved her chair backwards. Lauren was still giving her and Jessica the evil side eye. Bella's eyes narrowed as she threw Jessica a calculating look. "If you really want to be my friend again you need to prove it."

"How?" Jessica asked eagerly.

Bella just smiled and jerked her head in Lauren's direction.

"Oh." Jessica looked uneasy. "I'm not sure-"

"Fine." Bella said dismissively as she pulled the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "See you around, Jess."

"Oh, wait!" Jessica cried as she rose out of her seat. "I'll do it!"

"Do what?" Bella enquired nonchalantly.

Jessica picked up her unopened can of soda and fizzed it up. Then stalking up to Lauren-who was still bitching about them to the rest of the table-she snapped the ring pull and poured the entire contents over Lauren's head. The entire cafeteria erupted into laughter as Lauren jumped to her feet and began to yell curses at Jessica.

Laughing, Bella sauntered over to Jessica and slipped her arm through hers. "Welcome back, Jess." She said cheerily.

Jessica, her face red with triumph, smiled. "It's good to be back." She agreed as she walked side by side with Bella out of the cafeteria.

* * *

Apart from the little bit of fun at lunchtime the afternoon dragged on endlessly, and on top of that Bella was beginning to feel slightly sick. She hadn't eaten much at lunch and was feeling the effects as her stomach gurgled uncomfortably. Despite his promise to try, Jacob wasn't there to meet her at the end of the school day, which didn't improve her mood very much. So when she drove home she was feeling incredibly tetchy.

As she walked in the front door she heard voices coming from the kitchen. Curious, she made her way in there, only to see Angela, Embry and Jake chatting easily together at the kitchen table. What the hell was going on?

"Hi, Bella." Angela was the first to greet her with a warm smile.

"Hi." Bella said lamely as she looked around. The table was all laid out nicely as if in preparation for an elaborate meal. The smell of something roasting in the oven made her mouth water and her stomach rumble. She noticed Jacob laughing at her shocked reaction. "What's going on here?"

"I think this is our cue to leave, Em." Angela chirped as she tapped him on the shoulder. Embry laughed as he stood up and then helped Angela to rise.

"But you don't have to leave..." Bella protested faintly.

"I think we do. We don't want to gatecrash your romantic date." Embry snickered.

"Huh?" Bella was still confused.

Jacob came over and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Bells, Embry and Angela kindly helped me get this all this together. You know I can't cook for toffee, so Angela did that part for me, and Embry helped.

"If you can call helping himself to some of the dessert helping." Angela teased as she gave Embry an affectionate smile.

"Oh, my, so you didn't have a check up at the hospital today?" Bella asked her friend.

"That wasn't a lie. I was done by lunchtime. Em and Jake came to pick me up and brought me here." Angela glanced in Jacob's direction. "He's been planning this all week. First, he got your dad's permission to use the house, but Charlie would only agree if he got someone else to do the cooking..."

"Yeah, the dude even burns water." Embry chimed in as he cuddled Angela from behind.

"As if you're any better!" Jacob laughed.

"True." Embry agreed with a half smile.

Suddenly, everything made sense to Bella, and she now understood what Jacob had been holding back from her. "There never was a meeting." She whispered to him.

"Nah." He said, kissing her softly on the lips.

"I think it's time we left these two lovebirds alone, Ange." Embry quipped as he snaked an arm around her waist. "Is that burning I can smell?"

"Oh, hell!" Jacob let go of Bella and dived for the stove to the tune of Embry and Angela's laughter ringing in his ears.

* * *

The next morning, after Jacob had snuck out of her window, Bella went to the kitchen to find Charlie sitting at the table reading a newspaper. He put it down when she entered the room and folded it into squares.

"Good morning." Bella said happily as she went to make them both some breakfast.

Charlie looked at her suspiciously. "What are you so happy about this morning?"

Bella smiled and suppressed a giggle; she couldn't very well tell Charlie that her hot wolf boy had just given her every reason to be smiling before he climbed back out of her window. So instead, she just shrugged. "Why not?" She countered, looking everywhere but at Charlie. "So, is there anything you need to tell me?"

"There's nothing to report I'm afraid." Charlie sighed. "I've gone to visit a couple of their old addresses but found nothing. I have no idea where they're staying."

Bella sobered up at this news. "Do you think Trent and Lily have moved on?" She asked cautiously.

"Let's hope so." Charlie gave her a strained smile as he decided to change the subject. "So did you have fun last night?"

"I did." Bella's mood brightened again as she thought about the romantic evening she had spent with Jacob. He really was the best boyfriend ever. The surprise date had gone without a hitch.

"I'm glad." Charlie's face relaxed as he settled back in his seat. "Do you have any plans for the weekend?"

"I'm spending it with Jake." Bella replied automatically as she finished making them both some cereal.

"Of course you are." Charlie rolled his eyes.

"Do you have any plans?" Bella asked innocently as she placed a bowl of cornflakes in front of him.

"The usual." Charlie picked up his spoon and dipped it into the bowl.

"Well you need to cancel the usual." Bella cut in.

Charlie raised his head to find his only child wearing a mischievous smile. He was on the alert at once. "Bells, what have you done?" He demanded suspiciously.

Bella giggled as she pulled out her cell phone and slid it towards him. He snatched it from her and stared at the image of himself on the screen. He was wearing his dress uniform and looked like he was snarling at the camera. "What the hell is this?" He asked, his voice rising an octave.

"That's the Tinder profile Jake and I created for you last night." Bella revealed slyly. "Sorry about the pic; it's the best one we could find at such short notice. I thought it wasn't fair that I was the only one enjoying a bit of romance in this house. I thought it was time for you to enjoy some too."

"HELL NO!" Charlie protested hotly. "TAKE IT DOWN!" He jabbed his finger on the screen trying to make the incriminating image disappear.

"Too late, Dad. You've already got a hit." Bella laughed.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Twenty One**

"Why do I have to wear a tie?" Charlie complained as he tugged at his collar.

"You want to make a good impression, don't you?" Bella sad testily as she adjusted the tie for him and smoothed it out. "There, you look..."

"Stupid!" Charlie cut her off.

"I was going to say distinguished." Bella tried not to roll her eyes at her father's childish attempts to kibosh the date she had set up for him.

"Distinguished is something you say when someone is old and past their sell by date." Charlie huffed as he tugged at the collar of his shirt again. "This thing is strangling me."

"For goodness sake, Dad!" Bella was slowly losing her patience. "It's not like you're going out with a complete stranger. You know Connie Littlesea already."

"Not that well." Charlie fumbled with the tie again. He was all thumbs and ended up ruining all Bella's hard work. "And what was Connie using a dating app for anyway?"

"For the same reason you were." Bella pointed out irritably as she slapped Charlie's hands away and retied his tie. She gave it a sharp tug and readjusted his collar. "Now leave it alone." She warned him.

"Fine." Charlie grumbled as he pulled on his suit jacket. He began to fiddle with the sleeves, yanking them down much to Bella's frustration. "This has shrunk." He grumbled.

Bella bit down on her tongue hard in order not to issue a retort. She knew her father was nervous, but he was taking it to ridiculous extremes. Anybody would think he had never spoken to a woman before. Not for the first time she wondered how he and Renee had ended up getting married at all. He was hopeless. At first she had been relieved when she found out the lady who had responded to Charlie's profile was someone they knew, even if only vaguely. She hoped it would put her father more at ease, but instead he seemed more terrified than if it was a stranger.

"Look, Dad, you'll have a good time. Just relax. Connie seems really nice. You'll have fun at the show." Bella said brightly as she plastered a smile on her face for her father's benefit.

"I don't like comedians."

"They'll make you laugh."

"What am I supposed to say to the woman on the drive to Port Angeles? Why did she have to pick a venue that's so far away?" Charlie huffed.

"Use your natural charm." Bella said through gritted teeth.

"I don't have any."

"Then wing it." Bella snapped in annoyance. "Now quit complaining. You are going on this date. You will have a good time. Right?"

"Humph!" Charlie grabbed his wallet and placed it carefully in the inner pocket of his suit jacket. "I suppose I better pick the woman up."

"She's not _the woman_, her name is Connie." Bella was having difficulty hiding her impatience. Charlie was being childish. "And you're right, it's nearly six o'clock. You need to be on the road if you want to make the start of the show by eight thirty."

Charlie tugged on the sleeves of his suit jacket as he cast a despairing glance at himself in the hallway mirror. He sighed heavily, he was already perspiring in the hot suit. He felt uncomfortable and completely awkward as Bella hustled him out of the house.

Bella stood on the driveway and waved her father off as he headed to La Push to pick Connie up. She had prayed he would have the foresight to hire a car for the night, but that was too much to ask. She wondered what poor Connie would think when her date turned up in a police cruiser. All Bella could hope for was that Charlie let his date sit in the front seat and not put her in the back as if she was under arrest.

* * *

Jacob was in fits of laughter when Bella told him about Charlie's preparations for his date with Connie. He could picture the pair rocking up at the show in the police cruiser with sirens blasting. Bella wasn't amused at the picture he painted and he was forced to give her his best puppy dog eyes before she consented to forgive him.

"This is his first date. He's just nervous, Jake." She said sternly. "We should be supporting him, not poking fun."

Bella made it sound like Charlie was a kid going on his first ever date and not a full grown man who was close to turning forty next year. Jacob reined in his amusement and did his best to charm her. For once they had the house to themselves for a good few hours. Charlie wasn't due home until gone midnight. Jacob couldn't contain his excitement and still found it hard to believe that he was lucky enough to have someone like Bella fall in love with him. She could have any guy she wanted; she was beautiful, smart, funny and kind.

Jacob loved how confident Bella was getting; she knew how much she affected him, and definitely used it to her advantage. Not that he minded, she was happy and seeing her enjoy herself made him happy. She had been getting more and more into their relationship since she admitted her love for him, taking things further and further. He truly loved her more than anything else in the world and meant it when he said he would wait until she was ready to take the next step. He didn't want her to feel rushed or under pressure in any way.

Thankfully Charlie had been great so far too. He seemed to like the fact that his daughter was happy so he didn't give him too much flack about dating her. The police chief did have a few words with Jacob the day after he found out they were seeing each other, but Jacob decided he would never tell Bella about that. She got very embarrassed about things like that. Jacob had promised Charlie he would never hurt her or end the relationship, that was definitely up to her. All he wanted was to take care of Bella and make her happy.

Bella had prepared a special meal for them. Because she was going to so much effort Jacob decided he would ditch his usual cut off denim shorts and put some proper clothes on. He wore a smart, black shirt, opened at the neck to reveal the smooth expanse of his chest. He teamed the shirt with a pair of dark jeans. Bella dressed up too. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her standing in a little black dress that clung to her slim frame in all the right places and came to mid-thigh. He didn't think she even owned anything like that.

"I borrowed it from Angela." She explained.

Jacob just continued to stare at the goddess standing in front of him. Her long hair was half up and curled, and her eyes sparkling with amusement at his reaction to her outfit. He struggled to breathe. She was so beautiful that it was unreal. He couldn't seem to stop staring at her like an idiot.

_'Shit, come on, Jake!'_ He said in his head. _'Say something!'_

_'Say anything!'_

_'Jake, freaking say something!'_

"Um...wow!" He said aloud, his voice sounding tight. Jeez, that was smooth, real smooth! God, he was such a dick! He was so turned on it must have been obvious.

Bella grinned, her smile lighting up her whole face. "Hey, Jake. You look handsome."

"You look beautiful." Jacob said honestly, looking her over again.

Bella blushed and did a little twirl, making the dress rise up a little. Jacob's heart started to beat faster. "You like?" She asked, biting her lip.

_'Do I like it?_' He thought. _'Is she kidding me?'_

Jacob nodded and stepped closer. He could smell the strawberry shampoo she used to wash her hair. He felt his heart skip another beat. "I love." He confirmed.

Bella giggled and closed the distance, pressing her chest to his. Jacob couldn't help but put his hands on her hips, feeling the silky material under his fingers. "You know what? I think you'll like what's underneath even more." She whispered sexily in his ear.

Jacob tightened his grip as she tried to step back, holding her to him tightly, not wanting to let her move away from him. "Don't tease me, Bells. Seriously, you look too hot, I can't take it."

Bella laughed and gripped the front of his shirt, pulling him impossibly closer to her. He looked into her dancing eyes, feeling himself being drawn in. "I'm not teasing, Jake." She said quietly as she kissed his cheek and pulled away quickly, leaving him staring after her as she headed into the kitchen to check on the dinner.

* * *

Bella definitely meant it when she said she wasn't teasing. When dinner was over and everything had been tidied away she took his hand and led him up to her bedroom. As soon as she closed the door behind them she stepped up close to Jacob, pressing her body onto his. Her hands ran down his chest, slowly, making him so freaking hard it was embarrassing. He bent his head down to kiss her, tracing his tongue across her soft full lip, wanting to deepen the kiss. She responded by tangling her fingers in his hair. His hair had grown out from its short crop and was almost to his shoulders again.

Jacob couldn't help but pin her against the wall, pressing every inch of his body onto hers. She moaned in the back of her throat and he felt happiness bubble up inside that she loved kissing him as much as he loved kissing her. He bent his knees and wrapped her tighter in his arms as he stood up, lifting her off her feet. She wrapped her legs around him as she unbuttoned his shirt slowly; her fingers lingering over his skin as she did so. Every single touch from Bella was like nothing he'd ever felt before. It was like every place their skin touched burnt him slightly, but in a good way. She made him nervous too. He didn't want to do anything she didn't want, but was so scared that he wouldn't be able to please her and didn't want to ruin anything.

Jacob pulled out of the kiss, peppering little kisses down her neck. He walked over to the bed, laying her down and climbing on top of her as he ran his hands down her body. When he got to the bottom of her dress, he slipped his hand under, tracing it back up her toned thigh, making his way higher to he could grip her ass. He couldn't help but moan at the feel of it. Knowing that he was the only one she would let near her like this., made him feel like the luckiest guy in the world.

Bella pushed his shirt off his shoulders and ran her hands down his chest. When she got to his jeans she started unbuttoning them too. Jacob stiffened slightly. What was she doing? Did she...?

He left the rest of the thought unformed as Bella rolled him onto his back and sat up, straddling him, looking so sexy it was unreal. She chewed on her lower lip, looking a little nervous about something.

"You okay?" Jacob asked curiously, rubbing his hands on her thighs reassuringly. Bella nodded and took hold of the bottom of her dress, pulling it up and over her head, shaking out her hair after, making it fall loosely around her face. She looked like something out of dream. This couldn't be real!

He looked at her in her strapless black lacy bra and matching panties, and a hundred lustful thoughts began bombarding his brain. He wanted her so much it was unreal. This was the furthest they'd gone, he had seen her with no top on but not almost naked like this. She was incredible. She bent down and kissed him, still looking a little nervous but excited at the same time.

"Do you want me, Jake?"

_Shit, was this some kind of test? "_Bells, I've wanted you forever."

Bella smiled, a faint blush coating her cheeks, making his heart beat faster. "Make love to me." She whispered, kissing him softly.

Jacob's heart stopped. Did she really just ask him to...no, no way, she said something else and he was going to look like a right idiot when it turned out he'd heard her wrong!

"Huh?" He said weakly, reaching up to push a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"I'm ready now; I want you to make love to me." Bella's blush began to travel down to her collarbone. She looked so adorable because of how sweet and innocent she was.

Jacob rolled her onto her back. "Are you sure?" He checked. "I promise I can wait."

Bella laughed at the earnest expression on his face. "Well, I'm sorry, Jake, but I just can't wait for you any longer. I need you to be ready now." She teased, gripping her hand on his ass boldly. She ran her hand down his chest again, when she got to his jeans she slipped her hands inside and, rubbing him through his boxers.

Jacob was breathless. _Shit, that felt so damn good! _

He kissed her hungrily, brushing his hands over her bra, loving the feel of the lacy material. He unclasped it, pulling it off, slowly, waiting for her to stop him if she changed her mind. But she didn't. Her breasts were perfect. Jacob bent his head and kissed all over them, making her arch her back and moan breathlessly. He kicked off his jeans that were now almost to his knees and ran his hands down her body, stopping as he got to her panties, his hand brushing over them gently, which made her raise her hips trying to get more. He smiled slightly as he rubbed her through her panties, making her moan slightly and grip her free hand on his shoulder tightly.

"Make love to me, Jake." She said again.

Jacob stopped and pulled back, not taking his eyes from hers. There was no sign of indecision; she had made up her mind. All he saw on her face was love, happiness and need, and he bet his face looked the same.

"You are so beautiful, Bells." He whispered.

Bella smiled and gripped her hand around the back of his head, guiding his mouth back to hers. He felt his heart swell as he kissed her passionately, showing her just how much he loved and cherished her before he prepared to make love to her for the first time.

* * *

Jacob smoothed Bella's hair back from her face. She was smiling at him and looked so happy and relaxed it made his heart skip a beat. "I love you, Bells."

They lay there, trying to slow their heart beats. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck, kissing her, feeling her rapid pulse under his lips. He was happier than he had ever been in his whole life. After a minute or so he pulled out of her and rolled to the side. He tightened his arms around her, pulling her close and trailing his fingers over her naked, sweaty body, lingering on her breasts.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you." He said quietly. He felt awful that he was the one who had to cause her any kind of pain, but he guessed every girl experienced it the first time.

Bella smiled and touched his lips with gentle fingertips. "Jake, that was so worth it. It was only a mild discomfort and that soon went away." She pressed her body closer to his, snuggling into his arms. "It was perfect."

Jacob laughed in relief. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"I definitely enjoyed it." Bella's smile faltered a little as she looked at him. "Did you though?" She asked worriedly.

Jacob smiled and kissed her forehead. "Honey, that was the best thing that has ever happened to me. It was perfect, you're perfect, and I love you so much."

Bella's face relaxed and she snuggled against his hot body, taking his hand and interlacing their fingers. She never wanted to leave her bed again. She could quite happily stay there forever. "I love you, too." She said.

They fell into a contented doze, resting securely in each other's arms, before the sound of Jacob's cell phone vibrating disturbed them. "Fuck." He cussed under his breath as he reached out and picked up the phone to see who was calling. "Its Embry."

"Tell him to go 'way." Bella mumbled sleepily as she settled back down on his chest.

"This better be important, dude." Jacob growled as he answered the call.

Embry didn't bother with preliminaries. "We've found that Trent guy's beat up old Volvo." He said briskly.

"Where?" Jacob demanded, feeling his heart rate pick up again.

"The Cullens house." Embry revealed.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

**Part Twenty-Two**

While Bella slept Jacob brooded over what Embry had told him. Why did it seem when he had reached the pinnacle of happiness in his life, something or someone had to intrude on that happiness! Embry had told him to stay where he was, there was little for him to do. Sam had called the wolves back and now they were just keeping watch on the Cullens house to see if Trent or his sister made an appearance. There was no smell of vampire activity in the area, but the pack was still on full alert and were taking no chances.

The last few hours had been so incredible, the best of his life. Hearing Bella moan his name was the best sound in the world. She enjoyed herself too, which made it even more special for him. It couldn't have been that painful because she seemed contented enough to sleep peacefully. Jacob wrapped his arms tighter around her, loving the feel of her naked skin against his. He just laid there and watched her sleep until the alarm went off, signalling that it was almost midnight and Charlie would be back soon. She was so damn beautiful; she honestly was just like what he imagined an angel to look like.

Bella snuggled closer to him as she opened her eyes, a slow smile spreading over her face as she looked at him. "Hi, boyfriend."

Jacob couldn't help but smile back. "Hi, girlfriend." She wrapped her arms around him tightly as she sighed contentedly. "How are you feeling?" He asked, running his fingers through her messed up sex hair.

Bella smiled. "I'm good. A little sore, but extremely happy." She declared, giggling.

Jacob rolled on top of her, pressing his body to hers. "A little sore, huh? I could kiss that better for you." He teased.

Bella bit her lip, looking at him excitedly. "Oh, you can, huh?"

Jacob nodded, smirking. "Oh, yeah." He said before kissing his way down her body, barely able to contain his own excitement. He pushed thoughts of Trent and his sister to the back of the mind.

* * *

After finally prising herself off Jacob, Bella literally couldn't keep the smile off her face. He was so incredible, and it was better than she ever thought it could be. After the constant rejections she'd had from Edward in the past, and the hit it had taken on her self-esteem, to have a guy who was clearly so attracted to her was a huge boost to her fragile ego. Jacob was always so sweet and patient and tender with her, taking everything slow and easy. She couldn't have asked for a more loving boyfriend.

"Hey, Dad!" Bella greeted Charlie as she bounced down the stairs toward him when she heard the front door open. "How did your date go?"

Charlie emerged into the light, his face beet red. "I thought you would be asleep, Bells." He mumbled.

"Nope!" Bella smiled when she reached the bottom step. "I want to hear all the gory details. Did Connie…?"

"Um…Bells." Charlie interrupted her. He cleared his throat and opened the front door wider to reveal a petite woman with tan skin and hair as black as midnight. She smiled as Charlie began to introduce her. "I'd like you to meet Connie. I invited her back for a nightcap."

"Oh, hi!" Bella said lamely as she stared at Connie in surprise. This was totally unexpected. After all the fuss Charlie had made about going on the date in the first place, she would never had thought he would bring his date back home with him for late night drinks. "Nice to meet you." She tagged on at the end.

"Nice to meet you…well properly. I mean we've met before once or twice." Connie babbled nervously.

"That's right. You were at Billy's house once when I was there with Jake." Bella was surprised that the older woman was so nervous, but she assumed the last thing Connie was expecting was to come across her date's teenage daughter. Bella decided to try and put Connie at ease. "Can I get you a drink?" She offered.

"Um…" Connie looked up at Charlie anxiously, waiting for him to express an opinion.

"You see Bells…. Connie and me…err…I mean Connie and I…." He fumbled for the right words as he tugged at the collar of his shirt.

Bella noticed that his tie was undone and was that a hickey on his neck? She stared at him aghast, her own face turning as beet red as his. She thought it was best to beat a retreat. "Don't worry, Dad. You don't need to explain." She faked a yawn. "Oh my god! I'm more tired then I thought. Nice to talk to you, Connie. I hope to see you again soon. Goodnight!" She called over her shoulder as she flew back up the stairs.

* * *

"It was so embarrassing!" Bella said to Jacob the next morning as she met him at the diner for breakfast.

Jacob grabbed her waist and kissed the back of her neck as he tried to stifle his laughter. She was just too cute. Bella leaned back against him for a minute as she studied the breakfast menu. She already knew what he was going to have-everything on there. She decided to just opt for toast and some orange juice for herself. One of the waitresses took her order before they nabbed one of the free booths and sat down.

"So, lover boy, where did you disappear to last night? When I came back up you were gone. You're lucky I'm not the type of girl who gets offended when a guy cuts and runs." Bella laughed at the guilty expression on his face. "Jake, I'm joking."

Jacob reached across the table and took her hand, interlacing their fingers as he did so. "Bells, there's a reason I left last night. I should have told you, but I didn't want to spoil the mood."

A feeling of trepidation washed over her and Bella tensed. "Is this about that phone call from Embry?" She guessed.

Jacob nodded. He had been hoping to avoid telling Bella, but there was no way he was ever going to lie to her. He hoped to keep the Cullens out of the conversation, but that was difficult seeing as Trent's Volvo was parked outside their abandoned mansion.

"Please, just tell me." Bella whispered anxiously.

"We found Trent's car." He revealed quietly.

"Where?"

Jacob clasped her hand more tightly in order to help soften the blow. "At the Cullens." He said with a heavy sigh.

* * *

Jacob and Bella didn't speak about the matter again until they left the diner. Instead they made their way to a little park at the back of the diner, Jacob sat under the shade of one of the trees, opening his legs for Bella to sit between them. Just as she was about to sit down, he stopped her. "Wait, honey." He shrugged off his shirt and laid it on the ground for her to sit on.

"Thanks." She smiled gratefully, sitting down and leaning back into his chest.

Jacob wrapped his arms around her, rocking her gently. She relaxed against him, thinking how lucky she was to have him in her life. After Edward she thought she would never be able to love again, or even want another boyfriend. It took her far too long to realise that the perfect boy who was sweet and kind and kept her safe every night was right in front of her.

"I need you to know something." Bella said softly.

Jacob kissed the side of her head. "What is it?"

"You're the only one I've ever loved." She answered slowly.

Jacob's eyes registered confusion. "But what about…?"

"Edward?" Bella swallowed thickly. "It's okay, you can say his name."

"What about Edward?" He asked huskily. "I thought he was the great love of your life."

Bella shook her head, making her hair swing across her shoulders. "I thought he was, but I was wrong. I didn't know real love until I met you."

Jacob turned her to face him, scouring her face for any sign of doubt, but there was none. She gazed back at him earnestly, her eyes glowing with all the love she held for him. Jacob bent his head and kissed her, his lips lingering on hers long after it was over.

Bella smiled against his lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too. My beautiful wolf girl." Jacob matched her smile, tugging her closer so he could kiss her again.

* * *

"I want to see the Cullens house again, Jake." Bella said a little while later.

Jacob laid down on his back, pulling her on top of him, holding her close. "Its just an empty building, Bells." He explained. "I don't think it's a good idea, added to the fact that we don't know when Trent or his sister might turn up."

"Trent isn't dangerous. Nor is Lily. They're just messed up, that's all. Even if they do turn up, I've got you with me. They can't hurt me, Jake." Bella pleaded. "I need to do this. It'll give me the closure that Edward never allowed me to have." She raised her head and looked at his worried face. "It will give us a chance to look around. I know the password for the alarm on the underground garage. We can get into the house from there. Maybe there's something inside that can explain why Trent went there. Come on, Jake. It's got to be worth a look."

Jacob had never been able to resist Bella when she looked at him like that. She was right, there was nothing that he couldn't protect her from. The pack had already explored the outside; there was no sign of vampire activity at all. Eventually he took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, let's do this!"

"Thank you." Bella cried, kissing him passionately, effectively ending the conversation.

* * *

Bella stared at the abandoned mansion. It stood in a composed way, as if it had chosen solitude for itself, as if residents were a luxury it could forgo. As she left the huge empty underground garage behind, she emerged into the big open plan front room. The floors were a highly polished parquet, individual blocks lovingly placed and sanded to a smooth finish before the varnish was brushed on with fine bristles. The white walls stood firm, the tall window frames, triple glazed and whole. All in all, it looked like a movie set, a place waiting for life to come. The only give away was the odour, well, that and the dust. It was musty and dry, but nothing opening the doors and windows wouldn't solve.

The oldest residents of the abandoned house were no longer the Cullens, but instead the spiders. Their cobwebs laced the walls with intricate beauty, though now even they lay in dusty rags. The only furniture that remained was covered with huge white dust sheets; the material now covered in a fine dust. One glance into the once pristine kitchen revealed the same fine layer on the countertops.

"It's creepy." Jacob said in a low voice as he put his hands on her shoulders. "You okay?"

"I think so." Bella whispered as she rested one hand over his. "There's nothing to see down here."

"You want to try upstairs?" Jacob checked as he glanced toward the elaborate spiral staircase leading to the upper levels.

"Might as well now we're here." Bella tried to smile but it faltered. She snuggled closer to Jacob, drinking in his comforting warmth.

Jacob took the lead, reaching for her hand he headed for the bottom step. Everything was so eerie and still, it was freaking him out, he couldn't imagine how seeing the house was affecting Bella. As they reached the top of the staircase, they noticed dust lay over every surface like dirty snow, a pristine dust layer, which Jacob could now see had clearly been disturbed. A row of double footprints was imprinted in the fine dust leading to one of the bedrooms. Glancing behind him, Jacob could see that Bella had noticed too. He raised a finger to his lips and motioned for her to stay where she was.

He continued alone to the end of the wide corridor, heading to the last room on the left. The door was slightly ajar. He thought he had smelled traces of human scent but the odour of must and mildew had been so penetrating that he thought he was imagining it. It seemed he was wrong. Jacob pushed on the door and it swung open with a faint creak.

By the light streaming through the gaps in the heavy velvet curtains hanging from the windows, he could see Lily Brown lying awkwardly on a love seat which had been pushed close to the window. She appeared to be sleeping. Her black hair was partially covering her face, her legs were drawn up to her chest in a foetal position. Jacob held his breath, stepping forward lightly, not wanting to disturb the girl or frighten her in any way. It was only when he drew closer that he noticed the empty pill bottle clenched in her fist. That wasn't the only one. Two more lay on the floor beside the love seat.

"Shit!" He swore as he quickly reached out and checked for a pulse. "Bells, you need to get in here and call 911."

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	23. Chapter 23

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Twenty-Three**

Bella took Jacob's hand and pressed her side against his. She wished she could turn back time so that they were back in her room again making love, instead they were stuck in this nightmare.

"It's gonna be okay, Bells." Jacob tried his best to reassure her. He could see she was struggling. The image of Lily, lying on the loveseat, so vulnerable and helpless, would be forever imprinted in his mind. It was shocking to think how desperate she must have been feeling to try and end her own life.

"It's my fault." Bella whispered brokenly. "Trent told me how upset she was after I sent her that text. I never…"

"Don't, Bells." Jacob cut in swiftly. There was no way he was going to let her wallow in self-pity. That was a dangerous road to go down. "You can't blame yourself for this. No one could have expected this to happen."

Bella's eyes welled with tears as she pressed her face against his chest. Despite Jacob's protestations to the contrary, she did feel responsible. If she knew of Lily's mental anguish, she would never have sent the text, she would have tried to be more understanding. She understood Trent's overreaction to finding his sister missing now. Why hadn't she tried to be more empathetic? The truth was she simply didn't want to get involved in their drama. She'd already had enough to last her several lifetimes. She had only been getting her own life back on track.

Bella gripped the back of Jacob's shirt as she clung to him like he was a life buoy or something. She was thinking of her own battle with depression after Edward left. If it wasn't for the constant care and attention she got from Charlie and Jacob-where would she have been now? How desperate would she have become? Would she have tried to end it all like Lily?

"Don't, honey." Jacob placed his hand on the back of her head as he dropped a kiss on her forehead. "You would never have done what she did."

God, he knew her so well! Jacob was an expert at reading her every facial expression. He knew by her body language, by the rapid way she was breathing, what was going on in her mind.

"But I could have done. Without you, I…"

"Hush!" Jacob cradled her in his arms. He kissed her on the mouth this time, letting his lips linger on hers until her breathing slowed down.

Bella pressed her face into Jacob's shoulder, breathing him in. She felt him put his lips on her neck and concentrated on the feel of his breath blowing reassuringly down her neck, trying desperately not to freak out anymore than she was already as they waited for news about Lily.

"Hey, you two." Charlie's voice coming from behind made Bella jump like a startled rabbit. "It's okay, kid." Charlie rushed to reassure her as she looked up at him, eyes wide with trepidation. "You got to Lily in time. She'll recover eventually."

Bella collapsed against Jacob in relief and started to cry. He hugged her tightly to him and rocked her a little. "Cry all you want to." He murmured.

Charlie swallowed thickly as he watched his daughter sob her heart out. He felt like crying himself. Seeing Lily looking like that-so small, vulnerable and desperate-was a stark reminder of how bad Bella was at one point. Before she had befriended Jacob again, he had been on the verge of seeking professional help. There were no words to express how grateful he was toward Jacob for bringing his little girl back from the edge.

"Um…we found Lily's cell phone among the things she had with her." Charlie continued gruffly. "I found Trent's number and called him. Apparently, he's been desperately trying to find Lily. She took off in his car after they had an argument. He was trying to persuade her to see her therapist, but she kept refusing, trying to convince herself that she was coping." He paused and rubbed a hand over his face. "This is not her first suicide attempt. The reason she was in the psychiatric facility in Seattle was because she was self-harming."

"Shit." Jacob muttered as he rubbed Bella's lower back in soothing circles. Her sobs had lessened now but hearing the extent of Lily's problems had disturbed her greatly. He felt a shudder ripple through her, matched by one of his own. The root of Lily's problems went all the way back to what his own mother had done to them. "What happens now?"

Charlie sighed. "I'll need you and Bells to make a statement. Its nothing to worry about, just standard forms to fill in." He reached out a hand to his daughter and touched her hair lightly. "What were you both doing there, Jake?"

Before Jacob could respond, Bella turned her tear-filled eyes toward her father. "It was my idea to go to the Cullens house. I just wanted to see it one last time. I just needed closure…to put that part of my life behind me for good."

"How did you get in?" Charlie asked.

"The code for the underground garage was still the same. We got in that way." Bella said hoarsely. Her throat felt tight, and thick with the dust she had breathed in when she was in the house. Clearing her throat a few times she resumed talking. "Can I see Lily? Is she awake? I want to apologise to her."

"She's not in a fit state for visitors, Bells. She's going to be transferred to the psyche ward when she's more settled." Charlie touched his daughter's face gently in understanding. "You and Jake saved her life, Bells. Hold on to that."

* * *

"Why do you think she was at the Cullen's house, Jake?" Bella asked a little while later. They were still at the hospital, waiting for Charlie to come back and tell them it was okay to leave.

"I don't know." Jacob was troubled. That was the part that didn't make sense. Of all the places for Lily to run and hide, why there? As far as anyone knew the girl had no connections to that house or to that family. How did she even know where to go? The Cullens mansion was very isolated and off the beaten track. It was very worrying. There were so many unanswered questions and there was no way they could ask Lily directly. Only close family members were allowed access to her.

_Speaking of family members…_

Trent seemed to come out of nowhere. As soon as he saw Jake he stiffened, and his face hardened. "It's always YOU!" He yelled loudly.

Jacob immediately stood protectively in front of Bella as he hid his emotions behind a stern mask. "You don't want to do this here." He warned Trent in a low voice.

Trent kicked at one of the chairs in the waiting room, sending it flying over. He shouted profanities at Jacob and kicked the chair repeatedly, probably hurting his foot. Bella couldn't stand it any longer. She knew why Jacob was holding back, he didn't want to make the situation worse by trying to intervene-it wasn't like Trent would listen anyway. He was too wound up. So, instead, she decided to take the matter into her own hands. She pushed past Jake, batting his hands away when he tried to stop her going near Trent.

"He's out of control, Bells." He said sternly.

"He's upset and hurt." Bella answered sadly. "And he's going to hurt himself if I don't do something."

"Bells…." Jacob stared at her in frustration as he shadowed her closely when she drew closer to Trent.

Bella managed to grab Trent's arm, making him stop to look at her. His face was pure rage and she thought if she wasn't standing between him and Jacob, then he would have attacked Jacob blindly, not realising what he was up against. Bella held his tormented gaze and reached out to him.

"We found her in time, Trent. Lily's okay." She told him gently.

"No thanks to him and his family!" Trent accused. "You don't know what you're dealing with. I tried to warn you. Why won't you listen?"

Bella felt Jacob flinch behind her. She turned her head to glance back at him. His posture was stiff, but he was still wearing the same emotionless mask as before. She knew he was covering up his feelings-he had to be careful to maintain control-but she knew he was broken up inside. She wanted to turn around and comfort him, but Trent needed her comfort first. If she wanted to diffuse this situation, she needed to get Lily's brother to calm down.

"Lashing out isn't helping Lily, Trent." Bella tried to appeal to his more rational side by mentioning his sister. "She needs you to be strong for her."

Trent's nostrils flared as he took in a deep breath. "I'm tired of being strong for her. I've looked out for her my whole life. What about me? When is someone going to be there for me?"

"We'll be there for you." Bella said earnestly. "If you'll let us. Both Jake and I know what its like having to take care of other people."

Trent laughed without humour as he gave Jacob a derogatory look. "He's trouble, Bella. His whole family is. I wish you would open your eyes. He's just like Lily's last boyfriend-rough, violent, controlling…"

Jacob's expression remained impassive. As much as Trent's accusations cut like a knife, he refused to give the other guy the satisfaction of seeing him lose control. It would only feed into Trent's warped view of him if he did. He stayed silent while Bella continued to plead with Trent to be rational and try to understand that he had completely the wrong idea. But Trent refused to listen. Even Bella's sweet words couldn't persuade him to let go of the hatred he held for the whole of Sarah's family. She had killed his parents, she had damaged his sister, she had ruined his life, and in his view, anyone associated with her was also accountable.

"We're just going around in circles." Bella said eventually, giving up on trying to get Trent to see reason. "I can get my Dad and he can take you to see your sister."

Trent looked over at Jacob and jabbed a finger at him in warning. "I know your type. You're exactly like Lily's last boyfriend, Riley Biers, he was a controlling asshole, too." He spat nastily. "She might not see it, but I do. The signs are all there." He said, jerking his head toward Bella. "I won't allow you to screw up her life like your sick mother screwed up mine and Lily's."

Jacob tensed; his fingers twitched as his iron hard control slipped for a second. Bella's fingers curled around his, and he felt himself relax enough to respond in a calm voice. "I'm sorry for what my mother did to your family. I feel for you. I do." He said huskily. "But your hatred toward me is irrational. I am not responsible for what my mother did."

Trent scowled. "I know what I see."

"Then you're blind." Jacob continued coolly. "I suggest you go and see your sister. We are done here."

He said no more as he took Bella's hand and led her away to find Charlie. It was up to the police chief to deal with Trent now, Jacob had had enough.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	24. Chapter 24

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Twenty-Four**

Jacob knew that what happened to Lily and Trent's reaction to it was killing Bella inside, but she was putting on an act-probably for his benefit mostly, and not to worry Charlie. Her eyes were tight; her hand was holding his a little too hard for her to be alright.

He took her home and Charlie arrived a little while later. "I'm going to lie down. I have a headache." Bella mumbled, walking off without so much as goodnight to either of them.

Jacob knew this was bad; she was seriously going to freak out any minute. He could tell by how her shoulders were hunched slightly. He grabbed her hand when she passed him. "Want some company later?" He whispered so Charlie wouldn't overhear. He prayed for her not to shut him out.

"Yeah, okay." Bella nodded and went straight to her room.

Jacob wanted to speak to Charlie first, he was so worried and needed to know what the older man thought about the whole thing. He knew Lily's suicide attempt had affected the police chief too. The whole thing was too reminiscent of Bella at her lowest point after Cullen left.

"She's not good is she, son." Charlie said as they both watched Bella climb the stairs slowly as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Jacob frowned and nodded. "She's blaming herself."

"She did nothing wrong!" Charlie said in disbelief.

Jacob sighed and ran his fingers through his shaggy hair. "I've told her that."

"I need to keep an extra eye on her over the next few days." Charlie sat down heavily on one of the kitchen chairs. He looked suddenly weary. "What about you, Jake? How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine." Jacob shrugged.

"Don't give me that." Charlie motioned for Jacob to sit down. "This has affected you as much as any of us. You must think of your own needs too, kid. You spend so much time looking out and being strong for others you tend to forget about yourself. If you need to take a step back, I'll completely understand. Bella will too. I can take care of her."

Jacob nodded, he knew that Charlie meant every word, he could tell by his face. But stepping back was never an option. Bella needed him and he was going to be there for her. He forced a smile onto his face and stood up again. He was desperate to be with Bella again. "Thanks, Charlie. I better head home now."

"Okay." Charlie agreed. "Tell Billy if he needs anything to give me a call. And that goes for you, too."

Jacob thanked the older man again as he finally took his leave. Once outside he practically ran to the back of the house and quickly scaled the tree outside Bella's window. He let himself into her room; she was curled into a ball on her bed, sobbing her heart out. Jacob hated seeing her like this; it brought back memories of what she used to be like in the early days after that prick Cullen left her. The sight of it now was breaking his heart.

He laid down in front of her and wrapped his arms around her tightly, throwing one leg over hers, pulling her closer to him as he rested his chin on the top of her head. He vowed to try and distract Bella as much as possible over the coming days, anything to stop her brooding over what had happened to poor Lily.

After about half an hour of her sobbing quietly against his chest, her breathing became deeper. Jacob pulled back slowly and looked down at her. She was sound asleep. Her face was red and puffy, it was stained with tears, but she still managed to look like the most beautiful girl in the world. He kissed her forehead gently and wiped her tears away, untangling himself as gently as he could.

His responsibilities didn't stop there. He needed to go home and check on Billy. Jacob snuck out of her room via the window and rushed home to see his dad.

Jacob was doing exactly what Charlie had told him not to do. By looking after everyone else he was forgetting about himself.

* * *

Jacob found his father sitting at the kitchen table carving. Billy often did this when he was troubled and needed to focus his mind. Being stuck in the wheelchair meant that he didn't have the luxury of doing something physical to burn off his worries, so this was the next best thing. His knife chipped at the wood steadily as Jacob drew up a chair and sat down opposite him.

"Are you alright, Dad?" He asked, letting his eyes wander over his father's lined face.

The knife slipped on the wood as Billy's hand shook a little. He looked stressed. Jacob hadn't seen him look this bad for years. The last time he looked like this was when the twins left home so unexpectedly. It was only now that Jacob knew the truth about why they had left so abruptly. Billy continued to chip away at the wood without answering.

"Dad, can you put the knife down for a minute?" Jacob begged, reaching out to grab Billy's shoulder, squeezing affectionately.

Billy sighed and nodded. "The girl is going to be okay?" He said roughly, referring to Lily.

"Yes." Jacob admitted. "It's going to take a while for her to recover from this. But she's in good hands."

"And the boy?" Billy mumbled.

"Angry." Jacob confessed, there was no way of sugar coating the truth.

Billy swallowed thickly and hung his head. "You need to help me, Jake." He mumbled, closing his eyes. "I don't think I can cope with this on my own."

Jacob nodded, wondering just how he was supposed to do that when he had Bella to take care off, somewhere in there he had to fit in his pack duties, as well as find time to study. Sometimes he envied his sisters being able to just run away from it all. He felt like doing the same thing. Often, he had to fight the urge to just climb into the Rabbit and just drive off toward the horizon with Bella, destination unknown, and leave all their problems behind them.

* * *

It seemed to take ages before Jacob could persuade his father to go to bed. He fretted about Bella the whole time he was away from her. What if she woke up to find he wasn't there? She might panic, and after the day they'd had, he couldn't bear the thought of not being there to comfort her. Eventually Billy retired for the night. Jacob helped his father get changed and settled into bed, waiting for a while to make sure that Billy was properly asleep, before racing back to the Swans to check on Bella.

Thankfully when he climbed back into her room via the window, she was still asleep in the same position. It was now nearly eleven. As she hadn't awoken Jacob hoped she'd sleep all night. He laid down next to her again, just looking her over. Instantly, she snuggled closer to him, the same as she did every time he spent the night. He wrapped her tightly in his arms and closed his eyes, trying to think of anything other than the bitter confrontation he'd had with Trent earlier and the images of a broken Lily lying on the old love seat in the Cullens mansion.

A little while later, Jacob heard light knocking on the front door. He frowned, raising his head from the pillow and listening intently. Charlie answered the door, and there were sounds of hushed voices. One of them was female. Jacob recognised Connie. He wanted to respect the older man's privacy, so he tuned out their voices and rested his head next to Bella's as he vainly sought to sleep.

* * *

When Bella woke up in the morning her head was pounding. She groaned. She didn't need a headache on top of everything else that was going on in her life right now. Jacob was still out cold, so she crept out of the bed, trying not to wake him. He'd had a rough time too and deserved an extra half hour in bed. Right now, she didn't much care if Charlie found out or not that Jacob had slept over. She headed to the bathroom for a shower. She stood under the spray, trying desperately not to cry as she thought about Lily.

After stepping out of the shower and drying off, she wrapped herself in a towel and went back to her room. She walked over to the bed and looked down at Jacob. He looked so peaceful that she almost didn't want to wake him up. She sat on the edge of the bed and took his hand, knowing that he really needed to leave now. Charlie would be getting up soon. "Jake." She whispered. He woke up almost straight away, which was unlike him, he usually took forever to wake up in the morning.

"Hey." He sat up and looked at her sadly.

Bella smiled reassuringly; he was worried about her she could tell. "Hi." She said, moving onto the bed with him and pulling him back down with her. "I'm fine. Please stop stressing about me." She promised, smoothing out the frown lines on his forehead.

Jacob sighed and shook his head. "I'm here if you want to talk to me. You know that, right?" He asked, looking at her intently.

He really was just too adorable sometimes; she didn't really deserve it. "I know, Jake, but I'm fine."

Jacob smiled sweetly and bent his head, kissing every inch of her face, making her giggle before he pulled away and reluctantly left to go home.

* * *

Jacob had forgotten to warn Bella about Charlie's late-night visitor. So, she was completely blindsided when she walked into the kitchen to find him and Connie sitting at the table, enjoying breakfast together.

"Morning, kiddo." Charlie greeted her brightly.

Bella stared at her father's mussed up hair and tired eyes. It didn't look like he'd slept much. Connie, on the other hand, was glowing with perfection. Her hair was perfectly styled, her smile bright, but slightly nervous. Bella realised she was being rude; she hadn't even answered her father.

"Hi." She said lamely, a little too late.

"You remember Connie." Charlie reached for Connie's hand, smiling reassuringly at her. "She came by last night to check on how we were."

"Oh." Bella mumbled. "That's nice."

"I hope you don't mind that I stayed over last night, Bella." Connie said cautiously. "Its just that we spent so long talking and it was getting late…so your father suggested I might as well stay."

"I slept on the couch." Charlie added by way of explanation.

Bella didn't know whether to believe him or not, but decided it was none of her business either way. She had encouraged her father to date again and this was the result. She needed to get used to the new status quo. She just wished she wasn't feeling so much like shit this morning. She forced a smile onto her face and made some coffee, before mumbling a feeble excuse so she could run back to her room and hide.

But it seemed Charlie wasn't going to let her go that easily. "Bells, I've got the day off today. So, I thought maybe you, Connie and I could spend it together. Would you like that?" He asked.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	25. Chapter 25

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Twenty-Five**

To lend some support and make it feel less weird, Bella invited Angela to go with her on the outing with Charlie and Connie. Angela agreed at once. When they pulled up outside her house, she came bouncing up to the side of the cruiser with a huge grin on her face

"I'm officially in love!" She sang as she slid into the seat beside Bella.

Bella couldn't help but laugh. Angela was practically glowing. "Really? Okay, well…congratulations." She noticed Charlie and Connie exchange amused smiles at her friend's enthusiasm.

Angela giggled. "I'm serious. I've never felt this way before, Bella. Embry is so sweet…" She paused and lowered her voice. "And he is super-hot!" She fanned her face dramatically.

Bella smiled; she had never seen Angela like this before. It was like she was walking on air. "I'm happy for you."

"I'm happy for us." Angela replied with a dreamy sigh. "You've got Jake and I've got Embry. Right now, we're the luckiest girls in the whole world." She gushed.

Angela was proving the perfect distraction from her worries. Bella was so glad that she had the foresight to invite her. She noticed Charlie and Connie exchange another warm smile-it seemed that they were glad, too.

* * *

Bella normally hated shopping but having Angela for company was proving fun. Connie was great too. While Charlie stood and watched contentedly from the side-lines, his new squeeze, his daughter and her best friend went crazy spending.

"This is great." Angela said as she linked arms with Bella excitedly. They were waiting for Connie to finish ringing up her purchases at the till. "Thanks so much for asking me to come with you. Connie's awesome, isn't she? She has such great taste in clothes. I never would have dared to buy anything like that before." She said, referring to the revealing dress she had just bought.

"Em will love seeing you in that." Bella replied, laughing.

"And Jake won't be able to take his eyes off you when he sees you in yours." Angela enthused. "You know what, we should double date, and wear the dresses then."

"I'd like that."

"Are you ready, girls?" Connie asked. She was carrying an armful of bags. "I think we've tortured your dad long enough, Bella." She teased. "I have to say he's been incredibly patient."

"I think he's just enjoying seeing us all have some fun." Bella was really warming to Connie; she was so easy going and likable.

"He's a good guy." Connie's cheeks turned rosy which Bella and Angela didn't fail to notice. It was clear she was falling for Charlie. "It's been such a long time since I've met one of those."

"Yeah, he is." Bella said with pride.

* * *

After enjoying a gourmet meal in one of Port Angeles' best restaurants-paid for courtesy of Charlie-the group headed home to Forks, tired but happy. Bella was surprised that she hadn't even thought about Lily all day. She tried to feel guilty but found it was an effort. She was finally concluding that she wasn't responsible for what happened to Lily. The other girl's problems had started long before they encountered each other.

They dropped Angela off first before continuing home. Jacob was waiting on the porch steps when the cruiser pulled into the driveway. Bella felt a ripple of excitement bubble inside her at the sight of him. Before Charlie had even killed the engine, she was out of the car and running toward him.

"Hey, beautiful." Jacob said in greeting, grabbing her up into his arms and planting a welcoming kiss on her lips. "I missed you."

"Hi." Bella smiled, feeling even happier now that he was near her. "I missed you, too."

"How's your day been?" He asked, kissing her neck, making her squirm.

Bella glanced over her shoulder at Charlie and Connie, waiting for her father to complain about the PDA, but it seemed her old man had mellowed now he had met Connie. He just rolled his eyes at their affectionate display and bypassed them as he led his new girlfriend into the house.

"Wow, that's new." Jacob laughed as he caught hold of Bella's hand and raised it to his lips.

"It seems so." Bella agreed, smiling.

"You look happy." Jacob sounded relieved as he focused his gaze on her face.

"I told you not to worry about me, Jake." Bella chided him softly. "Dad's been keeping me occupied. I spent the day with him, Connie and Angela. We went shopping."

"You went shopping?" Jacob didn't bother to hide his surprise. "You hate shopping."

"Maybe not as much as I used to." Bella confessed grudgingly. "It turns out when you've got the right company shopping can actually be fun."

Jacob burst out laughing at her reluctant tone. He was just so relieved to see her happy again. He had been so worried about her. It seemed a little retail therapy had improved her mood substantially. He leant down and kissed her neck, sucking on the skin gently, making her squirm. He pulled back and rested his forehead on hers. "I love you." He said tenderly.

"I love you, Jake. You need to trust that even when I'm feeling down that I can pull myself out of it, okay." Bella replied softly. She kissed him again, letting her lips linger on his for a while until Charlie popped his head out the door and told them to come inside.

* * *

Having to go back to school the next day was a bitch. Even though she had Angela and Jessica as back up, Lauren Mallory seemed determined to get under her skin. During lunch Bella did her best to ignore Lauren's bitchy comments, deciding to take the higher ground. It was obvious that Lauren was just jealous. After lunch Bella had to endure an awkward science lesson with Mike Newton. Now that Edward was gone and was no longer her lab partner, Mr Varner had paired her up with Mike. It was awkward to say the least, especially after the last time she had been forced to shut him down.

When the bell rang, Bella was the first one out of her seat. She looped her bag over her shoulder and raced toward the parking lot. Jacob had said he hoped he would be able to meet her today. She was out of breath and feeling hot and bothered when she reached her truck, but her mood dived even more when she noticed Lauren strutting toward Jacob, who was leaning against the old Chevy waiting for her.

Lauren had unbuttoned her tight-fitting shirt, so the top of her cleavage was exposed. She thrust her breasts out in front of her as she sashayed up to Jacob. "Hey there, handsome!" She purred, twirling her hair around her finger.

Bella tried to fight the scowl forming on her face. Instead she forced herself to smile as she barged past Lauren and grabbed Jacob's hand. "Sorry, didn't see you there." She apologised. "Oh, Lauren, you missed a few buttons there, sweetie." She said, pointing to Lauren's chest.

Lauren glared at her. "It's supposed to look like this, Emo freak." She spat nastily.

"Actually, yeah I think you're right. I saw that shirt worn exactly like that on the hooker on the corner last night." Bella surmised, smiling kindly.

"You hang out on street corners?" Lauren grinned spitefully, thinking she had got one over on Bella.

"When I'm meeting with your mom I do." Bella shrugged. "Oh, did you borrow her shirt?"

Jacob snorted with laughter as Lauren's face turned red with anger.

"Bitch." She snapped as she stormed off.

Jacob wrapped his arms around Bella, lifting her off her feet and crashing his lips onto hers. She kissed him back hungrily, not caring that they were putting on quite a display. Jacob pulled back after a few seconds. "I love it when you get sassy." He kissed her again, long and slow, causing flutters in her stomach. "I need to have some time alone with you." He whispered as he kissed her again, gentler this time.

"What right now? Can't you wait until we get home?" She joked.

Jacob shook his head. "Yes, right now." He growled sexily.

"In your dreams, Jake." Bella said, laughing and rolling her eyes.

"Probably." He agreed as he put her down, holding her close to his side. In the distance he caught Mike Newton staring at them with a jealous expression on his face. Jacob narrowed his eyes and gave Newton a death glare, sending the idiot running off in the opposite direction. Satisfied, Jacob took Bella's hand in his. "Shall we go?"

"Yeah." She replied, smiling when he opened the door of her truck and helped her inside.

* * *

Bella hummed happily as she made dinner. Charlie was sitting at the table, doing paperwork. He looked over at her, smiling in amusement. It seemed his earlier fears that she was not coping after what had happened to Lily, were proving unfounded.

"You're in a good mood." He said.

"Yes, I am." Bella stirred the sauce in the pan, smiling.

"That's good, Bells." Charlie grinned as he concentrated on his paperwork.

Bella took the pan off the burner and bent down to check on the roast. It was nearly ready. She turned to look at her father. "You need to move that paperwork. Dinner will be on the table in five." She glanced at the file he was reading. Pinned to the top sheet was a photo of a young man, he had light blonde hair, with sparkling brown eyes. He had a muscular build, although he had nothing on Jacob and his brothers. "Who's that?" She asked with interest.

Charlie sighed and closed the file. "That's Riley Biers."

Bella's mouth went dry and her face paled. She wanted to be sick. The name was all too familiar. "Why do you have a file on him?" She asked hoarsely.

Charlie frowned, noticing how peaky she looked. "He went missing a few months ago. Despite our best efforts we've had no leads. Are you feeling alright, kiddo? You don't look well." He said in concern.

Bella had to turn away from him. She was shaking. Her whole body had gone cold. She held onto the kitchen counter, doing her best to steady her nerves. Riley Biers was Lily's controlling ex according to Trent. He was missing, had been for months. The question was, did Trent have something to do with it?

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	26. Chapter 26

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Twenty-Six**

Jacob was watching Bella worriedly, there was something wrong he could tell, but she wasn't talking. "Are you alright, Bells?"

"I'm fine." She said quietly. Her eyes remained focused on the road ahead as she drove back home from school the next day.

It was obvious she was lying. Jacob wondered if she was stressing over Lily again. He had hoped she had gotten past that-she assured him she had-but it seemed that something had happened to knock her back down again. He took her hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. His touch seemed to lessen her tension as she made the effort to glance his way and smile weakly.

Jacob waited until they were back at the house before he broached the subject again. The last thing he was going to do was let her stew on whatever was worrying her. As soon as they went inside, she was straight in the kitchen, fussing around and preparing to make him something to eat. This was just another sign of how stressed she was. Feeding the wolf was one way of distracting herself. Jacob had seen her do it so many times in the past.

"Bells, stop." He said gently as he steered her toward one of the chairs.

"But you're hungry." Bella mumbled. "Let me just make you- "

"My stomach can wait." Jacob pushed her down into the chair and hunkered down in front of her so their faces were on the same level. He peered at her anxious face. Her eyes were darting everywhere but him. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired from studying so much."

"Try again, honey. That excuse may work on Charlie but it sure as hell doesn't work on me."

Bella's hands began to shake. She folded them in her lap and cast her eyes down, chewing on her lower lip. "You've got enough to deal with, Jake. I know Billy's been feeling pretty low…"

"Talk to me." Jacob urged her. "Please." He added at the end, his voice gently coaxing.

"Oh, god, I think I'm just being irrational." Bella twisted her hands in her lap.

"Let me be the judge of that." Jacob took her hands and held them in his own. "What's worrying you? Is it Lily?"

"It's connected." Bella swallowed thickly. She felt so guilty with burdening Jake with yet more crap. She had been trying to hide how she was feeling, but of course he would know. Edward may have been the mind reader but Jake was a Bella reader.

"How?" Jacob rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand again.

"You remember at the hospital Trent let slip the name of Lily's controlling boyfriend?"

"Yeah…it was Riley something or other." Jacob couldn't recall the guys last name.

"Riley Biers." Bella continued shakily. "Well I found out that he's missing."

"Riley is missing? How?" Jacob's eyes went wide, his hands gripping Bella's tighter.

"It was just by chance. Dad brought some work home and I caught him reading his file." Bella confessed. "This Riley has been missing for months. You've heard how Trent talks about him. What if he had something to do with Riley going missing? There's so much that doesn't make sense, Jake. Like Lily being at the Cullens when she overdosed, her and Trent just happening to be at the party you took me to, the odd way they've been acting…their connection to Sarah."

"Fuck." Jacob swore. He grabbed Bella and picked her up, taking her place on the chair so he could cuddle her on lap. His arms tightened around her as if worried she might suddenly be snatched away from him.

"Do you think I'm overreacting?" Bella whispered, barely able to get the words out, her voice hitching and catching as she tried not to cry.

"No." Jacob growled, his body tensing even further. "I think its time I confronted Trent and got some answers." He lifted Bella off of his lap as if he was about to do it right now.

"No." Bella cried, gripping hold of Jake with all her strength. "Jake, no!"

"I want to put an end to this, Bella." Jacob said sternly. "I am sick and tired of this hanging over our heads. I won't let him hurt you or me like this."

"He won't. He can't. Please, Jake, this is why I didn't want to tell you. I can't see you get into trouble. You're not in the right frame of mind. I need you. Please don't leave me on my own." She begged. She would do anything to keep him with her. She squeezed Jacob's hand for emphasis. "Please."

Jacob sighed, calming down a little. "It's alright, I'm not gonna leave you."

Bella relaxed, relieved that Jacob was thinking through his initial rash decision. She pressed herself against him, closing her eyes and drinking in his comforting warmth.

* * *

Jacob picked Bella up and carried her into the lounge. He sat down on the sofa and pulled her back onto his lap, wanting to feel her closes to him. His heart still hadn't returned to normal from seeing her to upset again. He was so angry that his jaw was aching where he was clenching his teeth together so tightly, trying to stay in control. He wanted to find Trent and beat him until he told the damn truth, but Bella was right, he'd be the one getting into trouble then and she didn't need any more stress right now.

* * *

For the next week things continued to be strained. Jacob had assured Bella that he wouldn't go after Trent just yet but she worried he was only saying that to placate her. He was as tightly wound up as she was. He was under immense pressure as it was. Sam had stepped up the patrols again. Victoria had chosen the worst time to renew her forays into La Push. With that and trying to keep an eye on Billy, who seemed to be sinking back into his old depression after Sarah died, Jacob was barely able to function. Bella was concerned it would only take something small to set him off and he would unravel.

"Dad, something needs to be done about Billy." Bella confided to Charlie one day just as he was leaving to go on a date with Connie.

"What do you mean?" Charlie shrugged on his jacket and looked at his daughter questioningly. "I saw him only yesterday and he assured me he was fine."

"He's putting on a front for your benefit, Dad. He doesn't want you or Harry to see he's not coping. Jake's having to bear the brunt of his unhappiness and it's just not fair that he's burdened with trying to cope with Billy's low moods when he has enough to deal with already." Bella's fists were curled in frustration. She wasn't really angry at Charlie for not realising his friend was in the doldrums, he was having the time of his life with Connie and was so caught up in his new relationship that he hadn't seen the signs.

"Shit." Charlie cussed as he rubbed a hand over his face. "I'll go over there now and talk to him."

"What about your date?" Bella felt guilty now. She hadn't meant for him to change his plans.

"Connie will understand." Charlie reached for his phone.

"Thanks, Dad." Bella said gratefully.

"No, thank you for being brave enough to tell me. Harry and I'll take care of Billy. You make sure that Jake takes care of himself, okay." Charlie smiled at her in understanding as he rang Connie to tell her the news.

* * *

Another week passed. Charlie was as good as his word. He arranged to take Billy away on a three-day fishing trip with Harry to give Jacob a break. He promised Bella that by the time they came back Billy would be in good spirits again. She just hoped it was true. If anyone could get through to Billy it was his lifelong best friends.

The much-needed break did Jacob and Bella the world of good. They were able to spend more quality time together. Sam eased off on the patrol shifts, allowing Jacob to spend every night with Bella. With Charlie not in the house they were able to explore and take their physical relationship to new depths without interruption from anyone else.

It was heavenly, a little bit of paradise. That was until Trent came back into their lives.

* * *

On the morning that Charlie and the others were due back from their impromptu fishing trip Bella got a call on her cell from Trent. She tensed as soon as she heard his voice, her initial reaction being to hang up on him. But Jacob had already overheard Trent's voice. He took the phone from Bella, despite her protests, his voice hard as he demanded to know what the fuck Trent wanted.

"What the hell do you want?" He growled, jumping up from the sofa where they had just been making out.

Bella stood up so fast it made her head spin. Jacob was so tense that his arms were quivering. She looked at him in alarm. "Jake, don't." She whispered. She watched him, feeling sick at what might happen.

"Come here right now!" Jacob yelled into the phone. "Let's finish this right here, right now!"

What the hell is he doing? "Jake." Bella cried, scared.

"Sure. See you when you get here." Jacob snarled, hanging up and flinging the phone across the room. Luckily it landed with a soft thud on Charlie's recliner and didn't break.

Bella couldn't believe that Jacob had told Trent to come over to the house. "Please, tell me Trent isn't coming here." She pleaded.

Jacob turned to look at her, his face hard. "Yeah, I need you to get in the truck and drive to Angela's." He instructed.

"I won't. You're being stupid, Jake. This is not a good idea." Bella whispered, tears falling down her face. She ran and grabbed her phone, intending to ring Trent back and try and stop him from coming. She couldn't let him come here, not with Jacob looking so murderously angry.

Jacob eased the phone out of her hands. "He's not going to stop harassing you or us, Bells. I just need to make it clear he needs to fuck off and leave us the hell alone." He said, pulling her into a hug.

Bella shook her head, that was probably his intention, but with Trent's bad track record, there was a chance he wouldn't listen and instead the confrontation would escalate into a fight.

"Please, don't, you'll get in trouble, please. Please?" Bella whispered. Her insides were squirming with dread.

"I can take care of this, Bells." Jacob replied, his hard expression softening slightly. "Just trust me."

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	27. Chapter 27

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Twenty-Seven**

Crap, this was bad. The first thing that shot through Bella's brain was that she needed to keep Jacob under control. This was exactly what she had been worried about, he had been under so much strain, that anything small was likely to set him off, and this was it! Sure, she wanted to confront Trent as much as he did, but there was a whole world of difference between her doing it and Jacob. She didn't have a werewolf's strength if it came down to a fight. Jacob needed to be careful. If he literally jumped Trent as soon as he walked in, then Jake would be liable.

"Bells, you need to go. I don't want you here when he arrives." Jacob grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the front door.

Bella wrenched her hand out of his and glared at him. "I'm not going anywhere! I won't let you do this. You can't beat the crap out of him, you'll get in trouble. You're being freaking stupid!" She shouted. Tears rolled down her face as she spoke.

"Bells, you need to leave, now." He ordered. There was no way she was staying here near Trent, no way, because if he even looked at her the wrong way Jacob wasn't sure he could restrain himself.

Bella shook her head fiercely. She had always been stubborn, usually he loved that about her-but not right now he didn't. He told her to go again but she refused. _'Fine, if she wants it that way,_' he thought, '_then screw it.'_ He grabbed her, wrapping her in his arms, lifting her up bridal style.

"Jake, don't you dare!" She shouted, her face getting red with anger as she struggled to get down.

Jacob shook his head. He'd deal with her anger later, she wouldn't stay mad at him for long and a night of silent treatment would be totally worth it, just so he knew she was completely safe. Bella started sobbing and wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her out of the house. Damn it, she was killing him! He hated to see her cry.

Jacob kissed the side of her head. "Hush, everything's going to be fine, I promise. I just need you safe so I can concentrate on keeping calm, okay." He said honestly.

They reached the truck and opened the door quickly. As he tried to put her inside the cab Bella clung to him like a baby monkey and refused to let go. "Please don't get in trouble, Jake, please." She begged, hugging him tighter.

"I won't. I need you to go to Angela's now. And don't come back until I call you. You understand? Can you do that for me?" He asked desperately.

Bella sniffed and pulled away suddenly without looking at him. She slammed the truck's heavy door closed with a clang, placing a barrier between them. "Have it your way then." She snapped angrily, switching on the loud rumbling engine.

Jacob swallowed thickly, hating her angry expression. "I love you, Bells. I just need you to be safe." He explained.

Bella nodded with silent tears falling down her face. "Jake!" She said, leaning out of the window slightly. "I love you, too." She whispered.

Jacob watched as she backed out of the drive and headed down the road. He tensed when she was out of sight, still upset that she was so seriously annoyed with him, knowing that he would have a lot to make up for after this. He had never done anything that she didn't want before and he hated doing it now.

* * *

After ten minutes a car pulled up outside. Jacob felt the strain in his jaw as he tried to remain calm and focused. When he was certain he had his emotions under control he went to answer the door. He opened it to find Trent standing on the porch looking at him angrily. Jacob's hands were itching to slam his fist in Trent's face, he hadn't seen him since their last confrontation at the hospital. He was wearing the exact same expression then.

"Well I'm here." Trent stated, sneering as he looked Jacob over.

"Get inside and say what you have to say." Jacob countered, squeezing the door handle so tightly he was in danger of breaking it.

Trent glared at him and pushed past Jacob into the house. "Where's Bella?" He asked angrily. "I assumed she would be here."

"You assumed wrong. Its just you and me." Jacob said calmly, too calmly.

Trent suddenly didn't look so sure of himself. He kept his distance from Jacob, eyeing him warily. "I know your type. You're nothing but trouble."

Jacob laughed darkly. "Yeah, okay." He said sarcastically. "I think we both know you're the one who's trouble."

"It was your damn mother who killed my parents!" Trent shouted as he lost control.

"And I told you I'm sorry for that. But I am not responsible for Sarah's actions. I was a kid when it happened. You can't keep taking out your anger on me or my dad. You're being irrational." Jacob growled. He was losing patience with the merry-go-round of blame.

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Trent spat nastily.

"I'm done with this!" Jacob warned. "I'm telling you now, Trent, that if you ever come near me or Bella again, then I won't be responsible for my actions. Do you understand me? You need to leave. There's nothing left here for you now. Go take care of your sister and try to move on from the past. Holding on to this hatred is poisoning your soul."

Trent smiled slightly as Jacob stepped closer, his stance intimidating. "Do you think I'm just going to walk away?" He retorted slyly. "There is no way I'm going to let Bella become a victim like my sister."

"Bella is not a victim. I am not Riley Biers." Trent's words had given Jacob the opening he needed to introduce the subject of Riley. He assessed the other guy's reaction carefully when he mentioned Lily's controlling boyfriend. He noticed Trent flinch before his dark brown eyes flared with anger again. "Did you know that Riley is missing?"

Trent looked cagey. "How do you know that?"

"I have my sources." Jacob decided to press his advantage. "I also know you were the last one seen with him before he disappeared." He lied, hoping to provoke some kind of response.

"You shut your fucking mouth!" Trent raged. "You have no idea what happened!"

"I can guess." Jacob grabbed Trent and slammed him against the wall, knocking the breath out of him. "Did you hurt Riley?" He demanded.

"You fucking ruined everything!" Trent screamed in Jacob's face. "You're a monster! Bella deserves better than you, asshole!"

Jacob glared at Trent as his fingers slowly curled into a fist.

"_Jake, no!" _

Jacob's head spun around at the sound of Bella's voice. What the hell was she was doing here? He let go of Trent, who slid down the wall, landing on his feet heavily. Jacob went straight over to Bella and positioned himself in front of her protectively.

"You shouldn't be here." He said with a gruff tenderness colouring his voice.

"Well it's lucky I am. You were about to hit him." Bella whisper yelled at him.

"I wasn't." Jacob denied. "We were just talking."

"You had him pinned against the wall." Bella hissed irritably.

Trent stood a little way from them, breathing heavily. "You've seen it with your own eyes, Bella. You see how out of control he is. This was what I've been trying to warn you about. The guy has anger issues just like Lily's ex. Soon he'll use his fists on you. Can't you see that?"

Jacob surged forward and grabbed Trent's shirt, pushing him back against the wall again. "I see right through you and so does Bella. Your words mean jack shit to her. Now tell me what you did to Riley!" He demanded again.

"He did something to Riley?" Bella felt her blood run cold. She saw Trent's expression turn shifty as he licked his lips and swallowed thickly.

"Did you beat the crap out of him?" Jacob questioned as he tightened his hold on Trent's shirt. He was in danger of ripping the material.

"You can't prove anything." Trent licked his lips again, his eyes flitting between Jacob and Bella furtively.

"I don't need to." Jacob laughed bitterly. "You kicked the shit out of Riley for what he did to Lily and then you left him for dead in some dark alley somewhere. Didn't you?" He slammed Trent against the wall for emphasis.

"The bastard deserved it!" Trent screamed as he finally cracked under the pressure.

"My god!" Bella put a shaking hand over her mouth as she stared at Trent in horror. His handsome face was twisted into something ugly as he yelled obscenities at Jacob.

"Calm the fuck down!" Jacob yelled as he shoved Trent onto his knees, making him bend forward. "Take a breath."

Trent was gasping. His eyes wide and staring as he tried to draw air into his lungs.

It took Trent a long while to calm down. Even when he was breathing easier, his features were still twisted with hate. "You have no idea how much I wanted to kill that bastard for what he put Lily through." He snarled. "I wanted to kill him, and I thought I had. The asshole wasn't breathing."

"What did you do?" Bella whispered.

"I panicked. I was stuck in some back-street alley in the middle of Port Angeles with a dead guy lying at my feet." Trent flinched at the memory. "I knew I was going to go down for it. Lily was going to be on her own and I wasn't going to be around to take care of her."

"Then what happened?" Jacob asked brusquely.

Trent didn't even seem to be aware that Jacob had spoken. He was lost in the horror of the past. "This red headed woman came out of nowhere. She had the freakiest eyes I've ever seen. Like they were red-blood red. She scared the crap out of me. I thought she was going to call the cops on me but then she offered me a deal."

Jacob let go of Trent and went straight to Bella. She was staring at Trent, her whole body shaking with shock. They both knew who Trent was talking about-Victoria. Jacob wrapped his arms around her, holding her together like he always did.

"What was the deal, Trent?" Jacob said quietly. "What did she offer you?"

"She said she'd get rid of the body for me. And in return…." Trent shuddered and shook his head as if to clear it. Slowly, he raised his eyes and looked directly at Bella. "She knew all about me. She knew all about you." He mumbled. "I don't know how. She went fucking crazy. I couldn't deny her. I couldn't. I had to think of Lily."

"Trent!" Jacob growled. "What did she want you to do?"

Trent crawled to his feet. He glared at Jacob, backing slowly toward the door. "Why the hell should I fucking tell you?" He whipped around and fought to open the door. He managed to wrench it open.

"Trent, stop!" Bella cried. She got in Trent's way but he slapped her around the face, shoving her hard against the wall in his bid to escape.

"Shit!" Jacob, seeing red, ran after him. He grabbed Trent by the arm, intending to drag him back into the house.

But Trent began to scream for help. Passer's by stopped and stared toward the house in alarm. Jacob was forced to let him go. He watched in frustration as Trent bolted for his battered old Volvo, climbed inside, before roaring off down the road with squealing tires.

* * *

Jacob tore back inside the house when he heard Bella whimper. He found her lying on her side, curled into a ball, her eyes squeezed tight shut, her jaw tight. Her face was a picture of pain. Jacob felt sick as he dropped onto his knees beside her. "Bells?" He whispered, bending over and stroking her red cheek where Trent had slapped her.

Bella whimpered and tried to move, making a strangled noise. "It hurts, Jake." She cried, looking at him desperately. She looked terrified, and so scared that he felt like his heart would stop beating at the sight of it.

"What hurts, Bells?" He asked. He needed to get her some ice for that cheek, she'd have a wicked bruise for a week or so but it'd be alright.

"My stomach hurts." She gasped.

Her stomach? Jacob didn't understand how the pain could be in her stomach. He looked down at her abdomen, she was cradling it, shaking with the pain. There was blood seeping down the leg of her jeans. Jacob felt his heart stop as he made a grab for the phone to call 911.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	28. Chapter 28

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews! Have tissues handy, though I have tried to keep the angst to a minimum.**_

**Part Twenty-Eight **

"I'm so sorry." Bella whispered brokenly.

Jacob bent his head and kissed her forehead. "Bells, you have nothing to be sorry for." He murmured, moving closer to her. His hand rubbed circles on her stomach, so softly that she could barely even feel it.

"This is my fault." She cried, sobbing again.

Jacob shook his head fiercely and pushed himself away from her. Bella felt her heart breaking. But he was soon back carrying a blanket. He draped it around her shaking shoulders. "I'm gonna pick you up, okay."

It was Bella's turn to shake her head. She didn't want to move. "No, don't. Please don't." She whispered. The pain was so bad she felt sick. Jacob looked like he was in just as much pain as he fussed over her, trying to make her as comfortable as possible. He kept brushing her hair away from her face, kissing her gently, murmuring sweet words of love.

"Damn, where is the freaking ambulance?" He muttered after a while.

Just as he spoke, he heard sirens wailing in the distance. His face snapped to Bella's and he smiled weakly. "It's alright now, Bells, helps here. Everything is going to be fine." He said softly.

Bella met his steady gaze; his gorgeous eyes were tight with worry. She loved him so much. Jacob got up to open the front door. He came back with the paramedic following him.

"Don't you worry, love." The paramedic smiled warmly. "Just tell me where the pain is."

"In her stomach." Jacob answered for her.

"Okay." The paramedic had caught sight of the blood seeping down the leg of Bella's jeans. "Are you pregnant?" He said gently.

"No." Bella mumbled. "I'm on the pill."

"Okay." The paramedic didn't look convinced. He didn't question Bella anymore but gently coaxed her to remove her arms so he could take a closer look at her abdomen.

"My back's hurting and my hips." Bella gasped with the pain.

"Okay. Let's get you to the hospital. I'll check you over in the ambulance."

* * *

Jacob held her hand the whole way to the hospital, just watching her, not speaking. His face was a picture of guilt. Bella could see he was hurting badly. She could see the pain all over his features. She wished she could reach out and comfort him but all she could focus on was the pain. She had seen the disbelieving expression on the paramedic's face. He thought she was pregnant and in denial about it. But she couldn't be. She had followed the instructions on the pill packet religiously. Hadn't she?

Bella questioned herself all the way to the hospital as doubts began to set in. She had been pretty stressed lately. If by some chance she had messed up and gotten pregnant, then this meant she was miscarrying. She had unwittingly placed an innocent baby in harms way because she couldn't leave well enough alone. Jacob had asked her to stay away, but like always, she thought she knew best and had gone back to interfere.

This was her punishment for being so stubborn. When they reached the hospital, she was wheeled into a little cubicle and a doctor came almost immediately. "Okay, Bella, I'm just going to have a look and see if your cervix is open." He explained, pulling on some gloves.

Bella looked at Jacob, horrified, gripping his hand tighter. "Shh, everything's okay. I'm here. Everything's fine." He soothed, rubbing his free hand over her face gently.

Bella cried out as pain shot through her, making fresh tears fall as the doctor did his examination. Jacob leaned down and kissed her tears away softly, looking at her, heartbroken. She could see he was beginning to believe; he was beginning to believe she was pregnant. How could she not have known?

"I'm sorry, Bella, your cervix is open, you're miscarrying. We need to do a procedure to speed things along. You're still in the early stages, five weeks I'd say, so this is the easiest and safest way." The doctor said, throwing his blood smeared gloves away.

"What procedure?" Jacob asked.

"It's called an ERPC. It's a surgical procedure. It will need to be done under general anaesthetic and we'll remove all traces of the pregnancy." The doctor looked at Bella sadly.

"Is it safe?" Jacob whispered, gripping Bella's hand tighter.

The doctor nodded. "It's the safest way. We could leave it to expel itself over the next week or so, but that would come with a higher risk of infection. It's best for Bella if we remove it all quickly."

Tears poured out of Bella's eyes as she nodded in agreement. She wanted this over, she didn't want to be bleeding heavily for a week, especially if it was as painful as this the whole time. Jacob looked at her, waiting for her to say the words out loud. "Okay." She mumbled, closing her eyes.

"Right, well, I'll go and make sure there's an operating room free. It's a very quick procedure. You'll come back here after." The doctor stated, nodding at Jacob as he left quickly.

Bella sniffed and turned to Jacob. "I'm so sorry, Jake. This is all my fault."

Jacob shook his head fiercely. "Will you stop saying that? This isn't your fault. Stop blaming yourself. That asshole did this, not you." He bent over her and kissed her forehead softly.

"No. I shouldn't have come back. You told me to stay away. I should have listened to you and trusted that you could handle Trent." She sobbed, feeling her heart break all over again. "I swear I didn't know I was pregnant, Jake. If I did, I would never have put the baby in danger. I really didn't know."

Jacob climbed onto the bed carefully and wrapped his arms around her, trying not to jostle her. "None of this is your fault, you didn't hurt the baby, Bells. It's just one of those things. You're not to blame. If anything, this is my fault, I should never have provoked Trent like that." He said guiltily.

Bella shook her head and buried her face in his chest, clinging to him tightly, this wasn't his fault, none of it was his fault. It was the fucking supernatural world they were being forced to live in. They were young, they were carrying burdens they were never meant to bear. This had all started with the Cullens making the selfish decision to move to Forks. If they hadn't come and brought all their negative bullshit with them, then she wouldn't be lying in a hospital miscarrying right now. If she ever saw Edward again, she would spit in his face.

"I love you, Bells." Jacob whispered over and over in her ear, until the doctor came back and took her off to the operating room.

* * *

As soon as Bella was through the doors and out of Jacob's sight, he slumped onto the floor and put his head in his hands. His whole body was hurting. She was in so much pain and there was nothing he could do. They'd lost something precious today, something precious they didn't even know they were expecting, and for some idiotic reason she was blaming herself for that asshole doing this. He squeezed his hands into fists, pressing them into his eyes, trying not to think about Trent and what he had done. The more he thought about him, the more he wanted to get the hell out of here and rip his head off-but he couldn't do that. He needed to be here for Bella when she woke up. She didn't need anything else to worry about right now.

It hurt like hell to lose this baby. A perfect little baby that he imagined would be just like its momma in every way. He closed his eyes and rested his head back against the wall, waiting for Bella to come out. "I didn't even know about you until today, baby." He mumbled. "But even though I never got the chance to meet you, I want you to know you were loved."

* * *

Jacob barely even noticed when Charlie came and sat next to him, wrapping his arm around his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Charlie. I didn't know she was pregnant; I swear. She lost it." He choked out.

"I know. I've spoken to the doctor." Charlie said gruffly. His arm tightened around Jacob's shoulders. "She'll be okay, Jake. You know why? Because she has us. We'll get through this, together, as a family."

Jacob felt his throat tighten in gratitude. He was surprised that Charlie wasn't kicking the crap out of him for getting his daughter pregnant, but to be honest, he couldn't care less if he had. The older man couldn't cause him any more pain than he already felt, the only one who could hurt him more than this was his Bella. She was the only one who had the power to kill him.

"Billy wanted to be here, but…." Charlie sighed, looking a little frustrated.

"Dad hates hospitals." Jacob said dully.

"It just reminds of him…."

"I know." Jacob blinked back tears and took a deep breath. "This was where they brought mom when she died."

"I'm sorry, kid." Charlie apologised. "I really am."

Charlie stayed with Jacob until they wheeled Bella out of surgery, she was still asleep from the anaesthetic. Jacob jumped up quickly, looking her over. "Is she alright?" He asked desperately, walking along the side of the bed as they pushed her down the hallway.

"Everything went well. We removed everything. She'll be fine. She should start to come around from the anaesthetic within the hour. We'll keep her in overnight, and let her go home tomorrow afternoon. She'll have to take it easy for a day or so." The doctor confirmed. His eyes darted to Charlie and he smiled. "Hey, Chief Swan."

"Hi, Dan. Thanks for looking after my little girl." Charlie thanked the doctor.

"Anytime." Dan motioned for Charlie to follow him. "Do you mind signing some papers?"

"Okay." Charlie agreed. He patted Jacob on the shoulder. "I'll be back soon, kid."

"Okay." Jacob followed Bella into the room they'd provided for her. He sat down beside her bed, holding her hand tightly, his worried eyes never leaving her face even for a moment.

* * *

After about forty minutes, Bella moved her hand in his. Jacob jumped up quickly as her eyes fluttered. "Hey, Bells." He murmured, stroking her face lightly, it was sore looking and was already starting to bruise where Trent had slapped her.

Bella turned her head in his direction but didn't open her eyes. "You didn't leave." She breathed softly.

She honestly thought he would leave her?

"Of course I didn't leave." He kissed her gently. She whimpered and gripped the front of his shirt weakly as she kissed him back.

"I love you so much, Jake." She whispered hoarsely.

"I know you do, but I still love you more." Jacob countered. No one ever loved anyone as much as he loved her, it wasn't possible.

Charlie cleared his throat, interrupting their precious moment. Jacob pulled away, still holding onto Bella's hand tightly. Charlie leant over and hugged her. "I'm sorry you lost your baby, Bella." He said, looking deeply sad.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't know." Bella apologised as fresh tears began to well in her eyes.

"Oh, kiddo, c'mere. You have nothing to apologise for." Charlie sat down on the edge of the bed and gently embraced her. Bella cried on his shoulder for a while until her sobs lessened and she was more in control again. Charlie kissed her on the cheek and finally let her go. "I'm gonna go and call Billy and then Connie." He said, smiling tenderly at Bella before disappearing out of the room, giving them some privacy.

* * *

"Will you lay with me?" Bella murmured.

Jacob nodded and climbed carefully onto the bed with her. "Are you in pain or anything?" He asked as he wrapped his arm over her gently.

"Not really. It's sore, but nowhere near as bad as it was." Bella winced as she shifted on the bed.

Jacob closed his eyes and buried his face in the side of her neck. "You need to stop scaring the shit out of me, honey. You're seriously going to give me a heart attack soon." He teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Bella laughed humourlessly. "I'm so tired, Jake." She turned her head, nuzzling against him.

"Go to sleep then, Bells." He whispered, tucking in the sheet around her to protect her from any stray draughts.

Bella drifted in and out of sleep for a few hours. Charlie came back and refrained from commenting when he saw Jacob lying next to his daughter. He seemed to sense that she needed this. A nurse came in and administered some pain meds, but Bella said she was okay. After a couple of hours, she was allowed out of bed to go to the bathroom as long as she was accompanied by a nurse-which she didn't appreciate at all.

At nine the nurse came back in again, smiling sadly at Jacob and Charlie. "I'm sorry but visitor hours are over now. I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She said apologetically.

"I can't leave her." Jacob began to panic.

"Hey, son, calm down!" Charlie warned him. He shot the alarmed nurse a weak smile. "Its been a tough day." He said to her.

"Right." The nurse conceded. "But you still need to go. I'm sorry."

"We know." Charlie put his hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Come on, Jake. Bells' is asleep. With those pain meds she's on she'll be out for most of the night. We'll come back first thing in the morning."

Jacob knew this was one battle he wasn't going to win. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on Bella's forehead before reluctantly following Charlie out of the room. Once things had quietened down, he planned on sneaking back inside anyway.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	29. Chapter 29

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews. I think we all deserve a nice, easy, light hearted chapter after all the stress, don't you?**_

**Part Twenty-Nine**

A few days after Bella was released from the hospital Angela came to visit her. She brought along some homework that the teachers had given Bella to do while she was recuperating at home, along with notes she had taken in some of the classes Bella had missed.

"Thanks, Angela." Bella said gratefully.

"It's no problem." Angela looked at Bella's peaky face in concern. "How are you?"

"I'm not sure." Bella replied honestly. "I've been crying a lot."

"I am so sorry you lost the baby, Bella." Angela reached for her hand and squeezed it gently.

"The worst part is I didn't even know I was pregnant." Bella tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and sighed heavily. "It still doesn't feel real."

"Did the doctor's say how you got pregnant. I mean you were on the pill." Angela asked softly.

"I messed up." Bella felt the familiar moisture welling in her eyes. She was so sick of crying. "I didn't realise you needed to take the first pill on the first day of your period. I'd already had mine a couple of weeks before. If I had done it right, I would have been protected straight away, but I didn't so it meant there was a short period where it wasn't fully effective."

"Oh, Bella." Angela let go of her hand and hugged her instead. "I wish there was something I could say or do that would make you feel better."

"You being here is enough." Bella closed her eyes briefly as she hugged Angela back. "I'm being well looked after. Dad has been fussing around me constantly, Jake has been simply amazing. So many of our friends have come over and offered to help out." She paused as she lost her battle against the tears, feeling them roll down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." She apologised. "I just keep getting emotional at the slightest thing."

"That's understandable." Angela smiled kindly. "Don't beat yourself up about it."

Bella swallowed thickly and nodded. "It's just so hard." She sobbed.

"I know." Angela pulled Bella into another hug and rocked her gently. "I'm here for you, Bella. Whenever you need me, I'm just a phone call away."

* * *

Bella woke up the next morning to the smell of pancakes. It was a Saturday. As Charlie struggled to boil an egg, she could only assume that Connie had stayed over again. Swinging her legs out of the bed she reached for her dressing gown and shrugged it on. The smell of the pancakes was making her mouth water. It was the first time since losing the baby that she actually felt hungry. She padded down the stairs in her bare feet, listening to the low hum of her father's voice as he spoke to his girlfriend.

"Good morning, Bella." Connie greeted her shyly when she noticed Bella hovering in the kitchen doorway. "Are you up for some pancakes? I've made plenty. Charlie told me they're your favourites."

"Jake's actually. I normally make them for him." Bella answered as she pulled up a chair and sank into it.

"Oh…I could make something else." Connie replied, sounding crestfallen.

"No, pancakes are perfect. I just meant I wish he was here to enjoy them with me." Bella gave the older woman a faint smile.

"Maybe he could join us next time." Connie scooped some of the pancakes on to a spare plate and passed it to Bella. "My boy loves them, too."

"Your boy?" Bella said in surprise. This was the first time she'd heard Connie mention that she had a son.

"Colin." Charlie interjected before Connie had a chance to answer. "He's a great kid. He's just turned thirteen."

"Colin's a nice name." Bella offered up as something to say. She concentrated on drizzling some lemon juice on her pancakes.

Charlie cleared his throat to regain her attention. "Um…the thing is, Bells….um I was…. I mean we…." He glanced at Connie and smiled. "Well, we were wondering if you wouldn't mind if Colin came over for dinner tonight. It would give us all a chance to get to know each other better."

"But only if you feel up to it, Bella." Connie added quickly. "If you don't then I completely understand."

Bella looked at their worried faces. She was feeling better-physically at least-emotionally it was going to take a lot longer. It seemed things were getting serious between the two of them. She had never seen her father so happy, Connie was good for him, and with everything that had happened over the last few weeks, maybe meeting her son would provide a good distraction.

"I'd like to meet Colin." She said, injecting some cheer into her tone for their benefit. "Dinner will be fun."

Charlie exchanged a relieved glance with Connie. "Thanks, kiddo." He said, shooting Bella a fond smile.

* * *

Bella just shut the fridge door when Jacob grabbed her from behind and made her turn around to look at him. He was standing so close she could feel his breath blow across her face.

"I've missed you." He whispered, kissing her lightly. There was sadness reflected in his eyes that had not gone away since they had lost the baby.

Bella threw her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, deepening the kiss, tangling her fingers in his hair. Jacob stepped forwards making her move back, so her back was against the fridge as he pressed his body against hers. "I love you." He murmured as he pulled away a couple of minutes later. "Are you sure you're feeling well enough to go through with this dinner?"

Bella nodded. "I need to do this. I need to get back to some kind of normality. We both do."

Jacob smiled a small smile. "When have our lives ever been normal?"

"True." Bella agreed. "But we can pretend for one night, can't we?"

Jacob kissed her again, making her body tingle and yearn for more. His closeness made her heart beat so fast that she could almost hear it in her ears. Suddenly he jumped away from her and moved to the side. Bella looked at him in confusion before noticing Colin standing in the doorway. The poor kid was looking very uncomfortable.

"I thought I would help with the sodas." He mumbled, embarrassed to have caught them kissing.

"That's so sweet of you, Colin." Bella gave him her brightest smile as she heard Jacob stifle a laugh when Colin beamed back at her.

"Someone's got a crush." Jacob whispered in Bella's ear, laughing again.

Bella elbowed Jacob in the side as she opened the fridge and pulled out some cans of soda. "Here you go." She said to Colin.

"Thank you." Colin mumbled. His cheeks flushed red as he nearly dropped the cans when Bella smiled at him again.

Jacob snorted with laughter as the young teenager beat a hasty retreat. "That was so funny."

"You were thirteen once. And I bet you were just as shy and awkward." Bella teased.

"Not me." Jacob stated, still chuckling. He caught Bella's face in his hands and kissed her again. Her passionate response made him moan slightly and grip her tighter to him. He pulled away suddenly, making Bella's head spin. She glanced over at the doorway again to find poor Colin looking more mortified than ever.

"Um…. Charlie said I forgot the beer." He shuffled from foot to foot, his face burning.

"Of course." Bella gave Jacob a death glare when he started laughing again, before hastily opening the fridge and reaching for the beer. "There you go." She said, passing the beer to Colin with another dazzling smile.

Colin flushed red right to his collarbone as his lips drew up into an answering smile. "Thank you." He wandered back to the lounge in a daze.

Jacob was wearing a wicked grin. "Jeez, Bells, give the kid a break. You'll have his teenage hormones going into overdrive if you keep smiling at him like that."

Bella rolled her eyes at him. "What about your teenage hormones?" She teased.

"I've got them firmly under control." Jacob boasted.

"Uh huh!" Bella grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled his head down to hers. She kissed him hard on the lips, leaving him breathless and his heart thudding madly in his chest when she abruptly pulled away and went to join the others in the lounge.

* * *

During dinner Charlie and Connie couldn't stop smiling at each other. Every time Bella glanced at her father, she would see him smiling like he'd won the lottery or something. It was really nice to see Charlie so happy and for the first time since losing the baby she actually felt relaxed. She turned to find Jacob looking at her with a half-smile on his face. He reached out and caught her hand, holding it under the table so no one else could see.

"You were right. This was exactly what we needed." He said in a low voice.

Bella was tempted to lean across and kiss him again, but for poor Colin's sake she decided to keep the PDA to a minimum. She squeezed Jacob's hand in response instead and looked over toward the shy youngster and smiled. He gave her an adoring smile in response until he noticed Jacob smirking in his direction. He ducked his head and stuffed some more food into his mouth, nearly choking as he swallowed too quickly.

After dinner Bella hustled Charlie and Connie into the lounge as she offered to clear up. Jacob was forced to leave as he was due on patrol. He kissed Bella goodbye, letting his lips linger on hers for a while before reluctantly taking his leave.

"Can I help?" Colin offered when Jacob was gone.

"That's sweet of you. But you're a guest…." Bella began.

"Please." Colin's tone was slightly pleading. "I don't think I can take much more of mom looking all googly eyed at Charlie." He flushed when he realised what he'd just said. "I mean I like Charlie. And if I was a girl, I would probably be googly eyed over him, too." He babbled.

"You would?" Bella teased.

"I didn't mean that." Colin backtracked hastily. "I…I…I meant that I would…oh, god, I'm such a moron."

"No, you're not." Bella had to fight the urge to ruffle his hair. He was just too cute and adorable. "And I would love your help."

"Really?" Colin smiled so wide his cheeks ached.

"Yes." Bella said stoutly as she turned toward the sink. She grabbed a dry towel and threw it in his direction. "I'll wash you dry."

Colin caught the towel and stepped beside her eagerly. Bella washed the first plate, rinsed it and then passed it to him. "So, how's school?" She asked in order to kickstart the conversation and get to know Colin better.

"Okay." Colin said grudgingly. "Brady thinks it sucks."

"Who's Brady?"

"He's my best friend." Colin revealed. "We've been friends since kindergarten."

"Wow, just like Jake and his friends." Bella replied wistfully.

Colin glanced at Bella shyly before looking away just as quickly. "I could bring Brady to meet you if you want." He offered.

"I'd like that." Bella passed Colin another plate to dry. She really liked Connie's son. She had been worried that the atmosphere would be slightly awkward, but he seemed to slot into her family as easily as his mother had. He had readily accepted Charlie and seemed equally accepting of her. It was nice. She had always felt a bit lonely being an only child. If Charlie and Connie did go the distance, she would finally have a little brother.

Brady beamed at her as he piled the plate on top of the others. "You're awesome, Bella." He complimented her.

Bella liked being awesome. "And so are you." She responded with a warm smile.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	30. Chapter 30

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the awesome reviews!**_

**Part Thirty **

In an effort to bond with Colin further Charlie had decided to take him fishing. Coming along for the ride were Harry, his son, Seth, Colin's friend Brady, Jacob and Billy. The large group were borrowing Old Quil's boat for the weekend.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright without me?" Jacob checked for the hundredth time. His gorgeous dark eyes were looking at her concerned. This was the first time they'd been separated since losing the baby. "I don't have to go."

"Yes, you do." Bella insisted with a soft smile. "I'll be fine. You've got Quil and Embry watching over me while you're away. Angela said she might pop over later if she can get away."

"I don't know…." Jacob was still hesitant. The only reason he was going at all was because Billy had begged him to come. With Harry bringing Seth along, and Charlie taking Colin and his friend Brady, he felt awkward without his own son there.

"Jake, go!" Bella pushed him toward the door.

The others were all waiting outside. They were taking Harry's truck as well as her old Chevy. With the large flatbed, the old red monster had more space for them to store all the fishing gear. Bella stood on the porch and waved at the others. Colin leaned out of the truck's window eagerly, his face shining as he waved back. Bella smiled at him. He was such a cute kid. With no father around he'd never had a paternal figure to do boyish activities with. When Charlie had first asked him, he couldn't keep the smile off his face.

Bella laughed as she saw Brady roll his eyes. He was more reserved than Colin, and came across as thoughtful and a little troubled. From what Colin had let slip Brady's parents were quite strict. They had only agreed he could go on this trip because he had a police chief accompanying them.

Jacob was still delaying leaving. Bella traced her hands down his beautiful face, standing on her tiptoes to give him a soft kiss of farewell for a while. Jacob ran his hand through her hair when she pulled away, just looking at her tenderly for a couple of minutes. "If you need me, just call. I'll come straight home."

"I promise." Bella agreed solemnly.

"Okay." Jacob took a deep breath and finally stepped away from her. "I love you, Bells."

"I love you, too." Bella said back to him. "Please, try and have a good time."

"I'll do my best." Jacob promised. "Bye."

Harry honked the horn impatiently. Jacob sighed in frustration as he leaned in to kiss Bella again, his lips lingering on hers for a short while. Harry honked the horn again and Jacob finally let go of Bella and went to join the others.

* * *

Bella spent the next few hours spring cleaning the house. She started downstairs and worked her way up. She couldn't remember the last time she'd given the whole house a thorough going over and was shocked at the amount of crap she had managed to accrue in that time. Soon she had several bags filled with old clothes and shoes she hadn't worn for ages. Some of the clothes were too small for her now. They were bought when she was at her thinnest after Edward had left. They were the first ones she dumped. Anything that reminded her of that part of her life was added to the trash.

She was on her hands and knees on her bedroom floor, sorting through some stuff, when she noticed one of the floorboards was raised slightly. Frowning, she touched the rough wood, pushing on it slightly, and surprised when it flipped up, revealing a hole underneath. Bella peered into the dark hole. Something white caught her eye. Ducking down further, she grabbed her phone and used it to shed some light on what was underneath. She got the shock of her life when she realized exactly what it was she was looking at.

At first, Bella shied away from what she had found. But after a few minutes she managed to convince herself that she didn't need to be frightened of this discovery. She had always wondered what Edward had done with the presents that had been given to her on that fateful eighteenth birthday party he had thrown for her, and now she knew. Like the coward he was he had hidden them under her floorboards of all places. So that meant he hadn't taken them with him like she had thought. It was further proof that he really didn't care at all.

A while ago that knowledge would have hurt, but now all Bella felt was annoyance. She reached in the hole and pulled out the dusty envelope containing the plane tickets to Florida that Carlisle and Esme had bought for her so she could go and visit her mother. Along with the tickets was the CD of music Edward had written for her. She tossed that one immediately on the trash pile. She kept the tickets though. They were open-ended and could still be used. It had been a long time since she had seen Renee, and the tickets would come in useful. Once things had settled down, she planned on flying down to Florida to introduce Jake to her mother. She had been saving up for ages, now they could fly first class courtesy of Carlisle and Esme.

Bella peered into the hole again, checking that she hadn't missed anything. She found that she had. Nestled right at the back was a photograph. Warily she yanked it out, holding it up in the light so she could see it better. Her stomach churned as soon as she set eyes on its contents. It was the photo Alice had taken of her and Edward at the infamous party. This was the first time she had seen Edward in anything other than her imagination. Time had not made her immune to the perfection of his face. Her gaze took in his pale white features; the hard square of his jaw, the softer curve of his full lips-twisted into an enigmatic smile in the photo, the straight line of his nose, the top of his forehead partially obscured by the tangle of bronze hair falling in a soft wave across his brow. Her memory hadn't done him justice. He truly was an Adonis in every way. His beauty was cold, hard and ethereal, and she felt nothing…nothing at all.

Taking a deep breath Bella tore her eyes away from Edward's perfection and shoved the photo into the trash pile. She fixed the floorboard back into place and gathered up the bags of trash, ready to put them outside with the other rubbish.

* * *

When Bella was outside putting some of the bags in the recycling bin Embry suddenly popped out of nowhere, startling her. She gasped, putting her hand over her chest to ease her racing heart. "Jeez, Embry!" She scolded him. "Way to give a girl a heart attack. I hope you don't sneak up on Angela like that!"

"Sorry, Bella." Embry apologized, though by the smirk plastered across his face he didn't look sorry at all. "I'm just checking in per Jake's instructions."

"Please, tell me you're joking?" Bella pleaded.

Embry laughed at her indignant expression. "Alright, maybe I'm teasing just a bit."

Bella rolled her eyes at him. It was freezing outside but Embry was dressed in the wolves' usual uniform of cut off shorts and bare feet. She wondered what Angela thought about Embry's dress sense. Then again, she assumed that he put on a shirt and shoes when he was with her friend.

"Well if Jake does check in you can tell him I'm perfectly fine." She answered sarcastically.

Bella watched as Embry ran his fingers through his cropped hair. His smirk had disappeared and now he looked a little nervous. It was such an abrupt change in mood that she was startled. She peered up at his face. Embry wasn't as tall as Jake or as well built. He was slenderer, with long rounded muscles.

"You okay, Embry?" She asked when he didn't say anything.

"I'm good." Embry replied too hastily. He ran his fingers through his hair again, making it stand up in sharp spikes on top of his head.

"Are you sure? You look like something's troubling you." Bella laid a hand on his arm, causing him to look at her sharply.

"Okay, well, there is something." He finally admitted.

"Tell me." Bella took her hand away and looked at him expectantly.

Embry took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm going to tell Angela about me." He said in a rush.

"Wow!" Bella breathed. This was big! No wonder Embry was so nervous. He was obviously troubled, worrying about what Angela's reaction would be. Its not the easiest thing to tell your girlfriend that you had the ability to morph into a huge wolf at a second's notice. "She loves you, Embry." She stated gently.

"She does?" Embry's breath hitched on the last word. He swallowed thickly, hope flaring in his eyes.

"She must have told you." Bella said, puzzled. "She's told me."

"She says it all the time." Embry cleared his throat awkwardly, his cheeks flushing slightly. "But I'm…"

"Scared." Bella finished for him.

Embry's eyes flashed with worry. "I love her and I couldn't bear to lose her, Bella. Angela is the best thing to happen to me. I just…." He ducked his head again as he ran out of words.

"Do you want me to be there when you tell her?" Bella offered quietly.

A low whistle left Embry's lips and he raised his head again, smiling slightly. "You'd do that?"

"Yes." Bella lay her hand on his arm again in sympathy. She understood what a big risk he was taking. But she knew Angela, she had seen how much her friend adored this boy standing in front of her. She would accept him and his wolf. "Just tell me when you're ready and I'll be there." She promised.

"Thanks, Bella." Embry's handsome face broke out into a bright smile. He leaned in and hugged her quickly, before letting go and stepping back. "I better go and check in with Jake."

"So, Jake did ask you!" Bella yelled after his departing figure as she watched him run back toward the woods. Embry glanced back at her and winked before disappearing under the cover of the trees.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


	31. Chapter 31

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Thirty-One**

Bella's eyes fluttered open when she felt the bed dip as Jacob climbed in beside her. He buried his face in the side of her neck. "I've missed you." He mumbled, breathing her in.

"Don't tell me you ditched the fishing trip!" Bella said in surprise.

Jacob pulled her back against him and nuzzled her neck. "I'll go back in the morning. Everyone's asleep. I'll be back before anyone misses me." His hand wandered down to cradle her stomach.

Bella sighed; she had missed him too. Since losing the baby it had been getting harder and harder to be apart. Him going away for the weekend had been a test to see if they could cope without each other. They'd already failed. "I understand." She whispered, smiling guiltily. "I love you, Jake, so much. I'm glad you came back."

This whole situation just proved how much she needed him. She had tried to distract herself with housework, even with other people. It had worked to an extent. She had spent a fun evening with Angela and Embry just watching old movies. After her conversation with Embry she had wondered whether he planned on telling Angela that night, but he obviously didn't feel it was the right time. She had waved them off about midnight, suddenly feeling the walls closing in on her when she realised that she was going to have to spend a long night alone in the house.

"I love you too, Bells." Jacob whispered back to her, bending his head and kissing her gently. By the time he pulled away they were both slightly breathless.

"Jake, can I ask you something?" Bella asked as he settled down the on the bed next to her. Jacob nodded, taking her hand and weaving his fingers through hers. "This is going to sound weird but did you feel me needing you? Answer me honestly. You can tell me if you think I'm crazy." She bit her lip, terrified he would think she was losing it.

Jacob looked at her, his expression troubled. "Bells, I've always felt like that when it comes to you. Always." He admitted.

Bella smiled, happiness bubbling up inside her that he understood. "I thought it was just me being stupid." She said in relief.

"No way. I think we've become so attuned to each other that no matter how far away we are from each other we always know what the other is feeling." Jacob kissed her again, softly and tenderly, making her feel like the most special and luckiest girl in the world.

* * *

When she woke up in the morning Jacob was gone. She rolled onto her back, her hand searching for him, but his side of the bed was empty. It was only when she glanced at her clock that it dawned on her how late it was. The sun was already high in the sky. Jacob must have left in the early hours to re-join the others. Bella groaned, already missing him. It was easy to believe that she had dreamed him up last night. She crawled out of bed and headed for the bathroom to take a shower. Standing under the spray she tried to make plans to occupy herself for the day.

The house was already gleaming. So cleaning was out of the question. Bella had caught up all the classwork she had missed. The assignments the teachers had set her were all done. The cupboards were full to bursting so she didn't need to go shopping. She supposed she could have a lazy day just chilling and watching old movies, or reading a good book. But the problem was she felt too wired to sit still.

As she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off, she decided to burn off some of her restless energy by going for a walk. She could stop by the diner on the way and have a coffee and some pancakes instead of having the usual cereal for breakfast. It was a nice day. For once it wasn't raining. The sun was poking his head out from behind the clouds. There was only a slight breeze.

Walking back into her room, Bella hurriedly towel dried her hair, before piling the wet strands in a loose bun on the top of her head. She pulled on a pair of skinny black jeans, t-shirt and matching sweater. Glancing in the mirror to check her reflection she decided to add a smidgeon of mascara to her already long lashes and some lip gloss. Declaring herself satisfied, she grabbed her jacket and left the house.

* * *

The diner was surprisingly busy. It seemed everyone had the same idea she did. She joined the long queue, wondering whether to just skip breakfast altogether, when a light tap on her shoulder made her spin around in surprise.

"Hi, Bella. I thought it was you."

"Lily?!" Bella breathed the other girls name in shock. She was completely stunned to see Lily standing so casually in front of her. The last time she had seen the girl, she had been lying curled up on a loveseat in the Cullens mansion close to death. "Wha…what are you doing here?" She stammered.

"Getting breakfast just like you." Lily tried to smile but it faltered.

"That's a bit of a co-incidence." Bella said warily.

Lily lowered her eyes to her hands. They were trembling slightly. "Okay, the truth is I followed you in here."

"Why?" Bella was suddenly on edge. She had hoped never to see Lily or her brother again. She was surprised that Lily had been released from hospital so soon. Her confused gaze swept over the other girl as she tried to assess what her intentions were.

Lily shifted uncomfortably on her feet as she licked her lips nervously. "I've been standing outside your house for ages, trying to pluck up the courage to knock. Then I saw you come out so I followed you here."

"What do you want from me, Lily? I don't think we have much to say to each other." Bella looked desperately around the diner, hoping for some avenue of escape.

"I can't find Trent." Lily answered in a rush. She was close to tears now. "I keep calling him but his phone goes straight to voice mail. It's not like him. He's always there when I need him. I don't understand…." Her voice rose in pitch, attracting the attention of the other patrons.

"Calm down, Lily. Take a breath." Bella sighed, pulling the other girl into a quiet corner. "I don't know what you think I can do."

"I…I thought you could help me find him, Bella. I know he was coming to see you." Lily wrung her hands in front of her. "He's been so concerned about you. I know…"

"Please, just stop!" Bella stepped back from the other girl. She could feel her face getting hot at the memory of what Lily's brother had done to her. Just hearing his name made her heart clinch and the familiar sadness at the loss of her baby wrapped around her like a shroud. "I can't help you. You need to leave me alone."

"Bella, please!" Lily cried desperately.

"I SAID LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!" Bella said too loudly. The diner went quiet as everyone turned to stare at her and Lily. She bolted from their curious stares and ran out of the diner, wanting to get as far away from Lily as possible. But Lily didn't seem to want to take the hint as she followed Bella outside, still begging for her help.

"I'm worried he's in trouble." She sobbed. "He would never ignore me like this. He's such a good person, Bella. He really is. He cares so much and…"

"Shut up!" Bella demanded. She couldn't take much more of this. Hearing Lily praise her brother as if he was some kind of hero was sickening. She wanted to tell Lily the truth, but knew the other girl was too emotionally fragile to hear it. What if she tried to hurt herself again? "I can't help you, Lily."

Lily dissolved into more tears. Her eyes were wild, darting everywhere as she started talking. Talking so fast like she didn't have enough time to say what she needed to. Her words crowded together and jumbled over each other, making it difficult for Bella to understand.

"Lily, you need to slow down- "

But Lily couldn't slow down. Her sentences became more fragmented as hysteria set in. Her thoughts seemed to jump from one to another, unchecked by her brain, as if she was in some mental free for all. Bella listened, getting more frustrated with each passing second.

"Lily, you need help. But I can't be the one to give it to you." Bella interjected harshly. "Is there anyone else I can call?"

Her words seemed to bounce off Lily like they were hard rain. She stood in front of Bella, her fingers white knuckled as she surged forward and caught hold of Bella's sweater. "Trent. I need to find Trent. I have to find him. Riley- "

"Riley? What about Riley?" Bella cut in frantically. "Isn't he your ex? Start making sense, Lily."

There was a sudden distance in Lily's eyes as she took a few steps backwards, nearly tripping over her own feet. Her eyes were glazed, her voice now coming out thin and distant. "What, but no, it didn't, that's…not…right." She was breathing all wrong, beginning to gasp like there wasn't enough oxygen in the air. "The house. He told me to go the house. But he wasn't there…. I waited…I waited and waited…"

Bella's head was pounding. Lily was coming apart right in front of her eyes. God, she wished Jacob were with her right now. He would know what to do. She really didn't want to take responsibility for this crazy, broken girl, but didn't feel like she had much choice. She couldn't walk away and leave her in the middle of the street.

"Lily, you need to listen to me." She gentled her tone as if talking to a wild animal. "I'm going to take you home with me now. Perhaps if I make you something to eat or drink, you'll feel better."

With the slightest of smiles and pink puffed eyes Lily nodded. "I knew you would help me. That's why I came to you. You understand what's it like to be hurt. You found me in that house."

"The Cullens." Bella mumbled as she took Lily's arm and began to steer her across the road.

"He told me to wait for him there." Lily continued to babble.

"Who did?" Bella was barely listening.

"Riley."

Bella stopped abruptly, colliding with Lily who was still talking at a hundred miles an hour. "You've seen Riley?"

"Don't tell Trent." Lily put her finger on her lips in a shushing motion. "Trent won't like it. He hates Riley…but he doesn't understand what it's like to love. But you do, Bella. I know you do."

Bella wanted to shake the other girl. She tried to remain calm, though it was difficult. "When did you last see Riley?"

Lily dissolved into tears again. "Please help me to find Trent. He's not answering my calls."

Damn, they were back to this again! Bella fought the urge to slap the damaged girl in front of her. She was beginning to wonder if Lily was on some kind of strong medication and it was having a bad affect on her. She was in a vey bad way. She was acting psychotic.

"Come on, Lily. I'm taking you home with me."

"Is Trent there?" Lily asked, her dark eyes suddenly shining with hope.

"Come on." Bella sighed as she took Lily's hand like she would a small child's and took her home.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	32. Chapter 32

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Thirty-Two**

Bella fumbled with the keys to her house. Lily stood beside her, still talking at a hundred miles an hour. Lily was so hyper that Bella decided that as soon as she got her safely inside, she was going to call the hospital. She couldn't believe they had allowed Lily to leave when she was clearly in such a manic state. Finally, she managed to get the key in the lock to turn it. A rush of cold air ghosted out of the house, chilling her skin and sending her nerve endings tingling. Bella glanced nervously toward the trees, expecting one of the wolves to rush out and join her any minute. She didn't know who was supposed to be on Bella watch while Jacob was away. She knew it wasn't either Quil or Embry. They had already taken their turns. It had to be one of the others-maybe Paul or Jared.

While still looking over her shoulder Bella pushed Lily into the house, quickly shutting the door behind her. A strange sense of foreboding was making her heart race. "Wait there, Lily. I just have to make a call." She said, reaching for her phone.

Another rush of cold air ruffled her hair, suddenly she found herself with her back pressed against the wall. A blond boy was standing in front of her, he was muscular and tall, probably around her age. It was his eyes that caught Bella's attention-a dark vivid red-they bored intently into hers.

"Riley!" Lily chirped. She threw herself against him but he shoved her impatiently to one side. Tears rolled down her face, her teeth biting hard into her lower lip, drawing blood. "Riley, please." She whispered, heartbroken. "Don't push me away."

Riley's reddened eyes left Bella's briefly as they darted to Lily. He froze, his gaze zeroing in on the blood dripping down her chin from the cut on her lip. His eyes turned almost black with thirst. He blinked a few times, his own lips pressing into a tight line. "Get out of here!" He growled at Lily.

"Riley?" Lily sounded like a hurt child as she backed away from him. "Please don't send me away."

"GET OUT!" He yelled at her again, his tenuous hold on his self-control slipping.

Lily dissolved into tears, falling to the floor and curling up into a tight ball as she cried. "Why are you so angry? Why? Why? I did what you wanted!"

"Fuck." Riley cursed.

Bella's heart beat a staccato in her chest as she watched their strange interactions warily. This had all been a set up. Somehow Riley had persuaded Lily to lure her back to the house and she had fallen for it. She presumed he was going to kill her now. It was clear that Victoria must have changed him the same night he had been the victim of Trent's violent assault. He was young, a newborn. He was blind with thirst. She was amazed that he had enough restraint not to kill her straight away. The fact that he was able to resist the blood dripping from Lily's mouth was a testament to his willpower.

Lily was still crying. Her whole body shook as she mumbled incoherently. She was clawing at her hair now, gripping it hard and pulling it from the roots. Riley cursed again as he looked wildly at Bella, he seemed to be wrestling with indecision.

"Help her." He said eventually, his voice ragged with strain. He pushed Bella none too gently toward Lily.

Bella didn't understand why he was hesitating. What was holding him back from killing them both right now? He was acting as if he was actually concerned about Lily, which went against everything he was and everything that Bella had been told about him. Bella's heart continued to beat furiously, loudly in her chest as she bent down next to Lily and gently coaxed the other girl onto her feet.

"Put her somewhere, anywhere she can't hurt herself." Riley ordered abruptly. His crimson irises danced with pain as he watched Bella guide Lily into the front room, making her sit down on Charlie's recliner. Immediately Lily curled her knees up to her chest and bawled loudly.

"She needs to go back to the hospital." Bella struggled to hide the tremor in her voice.

"No one can help her." Riley's soft voice was coloured with tenderness. "I tried and look where it got me."

Confusion swept over Bella's face. "You tried to help her? But I thought...?"

"What?" Riley said sharply. "Did you really believe the lies that Trent told you?"

"I don't know what I believe anymore." Bella hugged her arms around her body, feeling lost and bewildered. "Are you not here to kill me?"

"No, _she _wants that pleasure." Riley's voice was compelling, almost hypnotic as he rounded on Bella.

By 'she' Bella knew he meant Victoria. Her plan was as obvious now as it was practical. Riley was sent to capture her and take her straight to the evil red head. Bella felt her face and body burn with anguish at the thought of what her death would mean to those who loved her, especially Jacob. The thought of his reaction crushed her spirit and she stared at Riley in agony. All she could hope was that it would be quick-Victoria would have no time for games here-but it would be thorough. Something that it would be impossible to recover from. Maybe Victoria would stop her heart. Perhaps a hand shoved through the chest, crushing it. Something along those lines.

"Not you, too! I've had enough of emotional females!" Riley said testily as he grabbed Bella's arm and dragged her back onto her feet. His restless wild eyes flickered between her and Lily. Tension rolled off of him, nearly visible in the air.

A short distance away, a wolf's howl echoed in the still air. Riley's head perked up, his crimson eyes widening. "Ah, the calvary's arrived at last. Took him long enough."

"What?" Bella muttered in shock. She expected Riley to grab her and run. Instead he swung her onto the sofa as easily as if she was a baby bird and sat down gracefully beside her.

"Now we wait." He said with a determined jerk of his chin.

"You want to wait?" Bella exclaimed. "Jake will kill you!"

"You're forgetting I'm already dead." Riley responded sarcastically. "Her sick brother made sure of that." His narrowed gaze darted to Lily.

"I don't understand." Bella whispered. None of this was making any sense. Riley didn't seem to be the devil that Trent had painted him out to be. In his rough way he was concerned for Lily, he hadn't kidnapped her like she expected, and now he was waiting for Jacob, not seeming to care that he might just about to get ripped apart.

"You're my insurance policy, darlin'" Riley tensed, his whole body becoming as still a statue. "There's not a chance in hell he'll touch me with you in the way."

Bella couldn't read his intentions. Just what game was he playing here? What did he hope to gain from all this? There were so many questions running through her mind that it made her head hurt. "What do you hope to get out of this?" She said frantically. "Do you just want to taunt Jacob or something?"

"God, you're an idiot!" Riley retorted impatiently. "I'm here because I want an alliance. I want Victoria dead and I can't do it alone. She's too strong and wily for that. I want rid of her. I want rid of that fucking asshole Trent. But I need help." His lips thinned again. "The truth is I don't know what I'm fucking doing. Every day I try to fight the blood lust. I want to kill you so bad. I want to kill her…." His voice grew hoarse as he stared at Lily in despair. "I loved her once. But her brother's a damn psycho when it comes to her. He manipulates and controls her in order to keep her isolated. He spun a whole web of lies about me and because Lily's so fragile and so vulnerable she believes him."

"I can't believe it." Bella whispered in horror.

"You have to believe it. Your boyfriend needs to believe it too." Riley snapped. "I'm on the level here. You have no idea of what Victoria is capable of. And if she does decide to turn Trent then god help us all!"

Riley suddenly stopped talking. Bella noticed his jaw tighten; he squared his shoulders. His eyes emptied; his face devoid of any emotion. He tensed himself, his whole body preparing for an attack. "He's here." The words were barely out of his mouth before Jacob came bursting into the house.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	33. Chapter 33

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the awesome reviews!**_

**Part Thirty-Three**

Jacob burst through the door looking murderously angry as he bounded toward Riley with his fists clenched. Bella knew she had to intervene quickly, this could all go dangerously wrong if Jacob lost control completely and phased in the house.

"Jake, everything's fine. We were just talking. Right, Riley?" She explained, her voice faltering on his name.

Jacob looked at her, shock clear across his face. He grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him as he glared at Riley. If looks could kill Riley would have been a burning spot on the floor.

Bella gripped Jacob's arm, squeezing gently to get his attention. "Everything's fine, Jake, just calm down. I need you to trust me on this." She fought the urge to just let Jacob kill Riley anyway-one less bloodthirsty vampire could only be a good thing-until she focused on what that would mean if he did.

Jacob frowned, his dark eyes never leaving Riley for a minute. "Why are you listening to him, Bella? This isn't the first time you've been fooled by a vampire." He reminded her pointedly.

Bella flinched at his harsh tone. She knew he wasn't deliberately trying to upset her. He was hurt, confused as to why she was so ready to defend another one of his mortal enemy. The truth was she had been fooled before-Edward had done a number on her she very nearly hadn't recovered from-but something about Riley's story had the ring of truth about it. He could so easily have given in to his bloodlust and killed Lily, he could have killed her. And after being on the receiving end of Trent's unprovoked assault, what Riley said made complete sense.

"Please, Jake, just hear him out. Let him tell you his side of the story and then decide for yourself." She pleaded. She was beginning to feel a little weak on her feet.

Jacob noticed her swaying slightly and he reached out to steady her. "He is what he is, Bella. They'll say or do anything they can to survive. He knocked Jared out cold. It was lucky the blow didn't kill him."

"Jared was the one who was watching the house?" Bella was forced to sit down. "Is he alright?" Now she knew why no wolf had come straight to her aid and how Riley had gotten into the house undetected.

"He'll recover." Jacob said grudgingly as his eyes narrowed in Riley's direction. "Did you really think that your bullshit lies would fool me?" He sneered.

"I could have killed your friend but I didn't." Riley answered coldly. "I could have killed her but I didn't. I could have killed Lily but I didn't. Doesn't that stand for something? I didn't choose to be turned. Just as I suspect you didn't choose to be a shifter. This was the only way I could get your attention. If I tried to approach you any other way you would have all simply killed me before I could even talk."

Jacob scowled, hating that the blonde leech was right. The pack would have killed him without hesitation. He took a deep breath, regretting it almost immediately when he got a whiff of leech stench clogging up his nostrils. "You stink." He growled at Riley.

"You don't smell too pleasant yourself." Riley responded sarcastically. "But your wet dog smell is actually doing me a favour right now. It's masking Bella and Lily's intoxicating scents. It eases the burn." He closed his eyes and swallowed thickly, before opening them again to look directly at Jacob when he was under control again. "Are you willing to hear me out?"

Jacob wrapped his arm around Bella's shoulders, holding her tightly to his side. Lily was still curled up on the recliner. Her cries had lessened to quiet sobs. He would never forget the fear he felt when he found out that Bella was in danger. It was the worst feeling in the world and he couldn't help but be frustrated that she had placed herself in harms way again. He loved how compassionate and caring she was, but bringing Lily back to the house had been a bad move and could have proved catastrophic if Riley hadn't had a whole other agenda.

"Are you alright?" He asked, concern colouring his voice as he looked at Bella.

She nodded, smiling weakly. Jacob could tell by her face that she understood his frustration with her. He could read her so well just like she could read him. "I'm totally fine." She promised. "I just need to sit down. You can take it from here, just stay calm."

Jacob gave her a small smile in response. She may feel guilty about her part in it but she still had the confidence to lecture him about keeping his temper under control. "You rest and keep an eye on Lily while Riley and I talk in the kitchen." He said gently, pressing a light kiss on her forehead

"Okay." Bella whispered as she flashed him a relieved smile. Jake would sort everything out, he always did.

* * *

Jacob listened in stony silence as Riley repeated the exact same story that he had told Bella. He didn't gloss over anything or excuse his actions towards Lily. "I broke her out of the secure unit. I used her to get to Bella. I'm not proud of that."

"And you say you love her?" Jacob spat sarcastically. His hands balled into fists as he fought the urge to rip Riley's head off.

"Loved! I said loved!" Riley's jaw was clenched so tightly that it was surprising his teeth didn't crumble under the pressure. "If you want the harsh truth, I wish I had never met her. She's ruined my life just as much as her sick, twisted brother has."

"The girl is ill. Anyone can see that!" Jacob growled.

Riley winced and looked away. "Your compassion toward her will kill you like it killed me. It will kill Bella too if you don't deal with Trent and Victoria." He warned, turning his head to glare at Jacob. "The two of them have made an unholy alliance. Now that Trent is no longer useful to her as a human, Victoria will change him. He's a psychopath just like her last mate was."

"Shit." Jacob cussed as he began to pace to burn off some of his pent-up energy. He remembered the stories that Bella had told him about Victoria's last mate, James. The evil bloodsucker had nearly succeeded in killing Bella, he had broken her bones, taunted and stalked her into submission until the Cullens timely intervention. If Trent was half as evil as that bastard they were in trouble. "If she has turned Trent what does this mean for you?" He asked Riley.

Riley laughed derisively. "I'm sure you can use your imagination."

"You could just be bullshitting me." Jacob stopped pacing and glared at Riley angrily. "Aren't psychopaths meant to be good liars? What assurance can you give me that any of what you are saying is true?"

"I can't give you any." Riley said, shrugging. "You can send me on my way. You can kill me if you want. I know I'm not strong enough to defeat you on an even playing field. But just remember if you do then you will lose your only chance to take Victoria down once and for all. Do you really want to risk it?" He asked.

* * *

Jacob and Bella had just returned from La Push. After his conversation with Riley he had collected Bella and Lily- first taking the distressed girl back to the secure unit at the hospital where Riley had broken her out of- and then driving the rest of the way to the reservation so he could speak to Sam and the rest of the pack. The meeting had not gone well. Sam was furious that Jacob had let Riley go without giving him a chance to talk to the vampire himself. It all descended into a heated argument until it was brought to an abrupt halt by the arrival of Jared. His recovery from Riley's knock out blow had proven swift, much to everyone's delight. Seeing him well again doused the flames of the more volatile members of the pack and Jacob was finally able to persuade them and Sam that he really had no choice but to let Riley go.

"This could be our only way of ending Victoria for good." He said, staring around at them all. "Would you really expect me to let that opportunity go?" He asked.

* * *

Now he and Bella were back in Forks again, parked outside her house. Jacob cut the engine while his hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He took a few deep breaths in an attempt to keep calm. "You can't keep doing this to me, Bells." He muttered.

Bella winced and looked at him apologetically. She had known this was coming. "Jake, it worked."

"Do you have any idea how freaking stupid that was, Bella? Think about it, what if it didn't work? What if Riley had given in to his bloodlust? What if he had decided to hurt you? Or worse!" He shouted, slamming his hand on the steering wheel in frustration.

Bella flinched. He'd shouted so loud it echoed in the car making it even louder. "Jake, I'm sorry. I don't know what more I can say." She said, pleading with him to understand her reasons. "I was blindsided by seeing Lily again. She was in such a state I couldn't leave her all alone on the sidewalk.

Jacob didn't say anything, he was still really angry.

"I know I did a stupid thing." She continued in agony. "But if I hadn't taken Lily back to the house then we wouldn't have encountered Riley and finally gotten to the truth."

"It may have worked, Bells, but what you did was freaking idiotic. Just because it worked doesn't mean that what you did was right. You're still recovering for goodness sake!"

"I know and I'm sorry." Bella's face crumpled as she reached for him. "Please forgive me, Jake. Please, don't be mad at me."

Her body felt like it had run a marathon, but she wasn't in any physical pain, just emotional. The reality of what she had done was sinking in now. She knew she had been stupid. She tried not to imagine all the things Riley could have done. She shuddered slightly and pushed the thoughts away. It was over now, nothing happened. She had been lucky.

Jacob pulled her into a hug, kissing her cheek. "You were really brave, Bells. Stupid but brave. But don't you ever dare do anything like that again." He said fiercely.

Bella nodded as she sank further into his warm embrace. She closed her eyes, needing to go to sleep; she was physically and emotionally exhausted.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	34. Chapter 34

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Thirty-Four**

_**A few days later;**_

Bella woke up as she felt someone get on the bed. She opened her eyes groggily and looked over to see Jacob getting in bed with her. She threw her arms around him. She had never been so happy to see anyone in her life. He hugged her back gently, stroking her hair, rocking her gently as he pressed his lips to her neck, the same as he always did when she was upset or anxious. Bella tangled her hands in his hair, not wanting to let him go for a second. She never wanted him away from her again.

"It's okay now, Bells. Everything's fine. How are you feeling?" He asked softly as he pulled back to look at her. His gorgeous brown eyes were full of concern. Bella smiled and kissed him again, pressing herself to him tightly. Jacob smiled back, relieved to see that she was calm again.

"I'm fine. I'm just happy now that you're back." She promised, tracing her fingers down his beautiful face. He ran his hand through her hair, just looking at her tenderly for a couple of minutes. "So, what happened with Riley?" She asked after a while. "Don't keep me in suspense."

Jacob had been gone for three long days. Riley had been in constant contact, giving the pack a heads up on all of Victoria's movements. It was his way of gaining their trust, showing them that he was on their side when it came to her. With this new inside information, the pack was able to thwart the red-head's intrusions onto their lands, which angered her, and nearly cost her life on one occasion when the pack appeared out of nowhere and trapped her against the side of a cliff. It was only by sheer luck that she was able to make a mad scramble up the sheer sides and escape back into the sea.

To establish more about Victoria's plans Jacob had secretly travelled to Seattle with his wingmen, Quil and Embry. The three of them met up with Riley at a pre-arranged location as they sought to find out what had happened to Trent. So far Riley had been unable to pinpoint where Trent was. He knew that Victoria had done something to the guy, but wasn't sure where she was keeping him. Riley said she was becoming increasingly mistrustful of him and he guessed it wouldn't be too long before she tired of his company and killed him, replacing him with the newly turned Trent.

"We looked in all the locations that Riley had been to with Victoria. There was some evidence that she had been around some of those places recently, but we couldn't find any traces of Trent. Riley seems to think she's hiding him somewhere closer to Forks."

Bella gulped, trying to swallow down her fear that Trent could be somewhere on their doorstep, waiting to catch them out. His personality was so much like James' used to be. He would the perfect replacement mate for Victoria. Just the thought of it made her feel sick. If the sly red-head had indeed turned Trent, then it would only give him greater powers and able him to complete his vendetta against Jacob.

"I don't want you stressing about this, Bells." Jacob buried his face in the side of her neck. "We've got this covered. There are more of us then there are of them."

Bella let out the breath she didn't realise she had been holding and tried to relax. Jacob pulled back to look at her. "You must promise me you won't do anything reckless again, Bells."

"I've already promised." Bella responded indignantly. "We've spoken about this. I've learned my lesson."

Jacob's hand trailed down to her now empty stomach. The pain of losing the baby was still raw even as they both tried to move on from it. "Okay, I'm just going to say this one last time. Don't ever put yourself in danger like that again. You _never _put yourself in danger again. I don't care what the reason is; it's not a good enough reason for you to get hurt. Do you understand me?" He growled.

Bella nodded; she could see he meant it. She could see he wanted to say a lot more than that too, but he was holding back because of the baby. "I understand." She whispered, looking guilty. She thought about the time she had managed to slip away from Jasper and Alice at the airport when James had convinced her that he had Renee hostage at her old ballet studio in Phoenix. She had recklessly put her own life in danger in an attempt to save someone she loved, believing in her mantra that to die in the place of someone you loved was worth the sacrifice.

It wasn't. Because she now learned that those left behind were the ones who suffered. And Jacob had suffered enough.

"I love you, Jake, so much." He was the most important thing to her. This whole situation just proved to her just how much she loved him. She would do anything for him, even keeping herself safe and not putting herself at risk.

"I love you too, Bells." He murmured, bending his head and kissing her gently. By the time he pulled away they were both breathless.

* * *

Bella was in the kitchen making dinner when Charlie came back from work. The fishing trip with the others had gone well, though he was surprised when Jacob had bailed at the last minute. He was full of questions when he returned but Bella assured him it was because Jacob was worried about her and that she was perfectly fine. The police chief made sure to keep close to home for the next few days, not really fully believing her that she was coping emotionally with the loss of the baby. He had even cancelled a date with Connie so he could be at home to keep a close eye on her.

Bella was well aware of what he was doing, and she loved him for it, but she also loved the fact that he was dating and enjoying life again. She didn't want to get in the way of that. She was determined to show him that she really was okay. That didn't mean that the sadness was going away any time soon, but she was dealing with it. There was no way she was letting herself fall back into that dark pit of depression she had descended into when Edward had left.

"You didn't need to cook, kiddo. I could have ordered takeout or something." Charlie chided her as he strolled into the kitchen to find several pans bubbling away on the stove.

"I do need to. I invited Connie and Colin over for dinner." Bella gave him a warm smile as she tried to ward off his concerned questions.

"Bells, you're taking on too much." Charlie was wearing his worried frown. "Let me call Connie. She'll understand."

Bella was rescued by a knock at the door. "Too late!" She stated brightly, tapping her father on the chest lightly. "They're here." Charlie gave her a long look but she ignored it, gently shoving him toward the hallway. "You can't leave them standing on the doorstep." She said as they knocked on the door again.

Charlie had no choice but to do her bidding. Bella smiled to herself as she peeked into the hall and watched Charlie open the door and greet Connie with a kiss. She giggled when she saw the disgusted look on Colin's face. He edged around his mother and into the house. Bella decided to be kind and rescue the embarrassed teen.

"Hey, Colin! I could do with some help in here." She called out to him.

"Gladly." Colin said in relief as he eagerly ran to help her.

* * *

Bella couldn't keep the smile off her face as she watched Charlie and Connie interact at the dinner table. They were so cute and sweet. They were like a couple of soppy teenagers in love. She got a kick out of listening them finish each other's sentences and exchange loving glances. It wasn't so much fun for poor Colin who seemed to want to gag every time he looked at the love sick expression on his mother's face. Bella could only guess that was the last thing a teenage boy wanted to see. But she knew deep down that he was happy for Connie and Charlie, just like she was. He had really bonded with Charlie and Bella hoped that her father would stop worrying about her so much and finally put a ring on Connie's finger before she got away.

"Right, you boys clear the table." Bella ordered, grabbing Connie's arm and pulling her toward the lounge. "I am so happy for you two." She said to Connie when they were alone. "Thank you for making my Dad so happy."

Connie looked at her breathlessly, a nervous smile playing about her lips. "That is such a lovely thing to say, Bella. And, it kind of leads up to what I want to ask you."

Bella gazed at Connie, feeling perplexed. "Are you okay, Connie?"

"I'm not sure." Connie took a deep breath as if steadying her nerves. "I'm not sure that I'll have the courage to go through with it….and I won't if you think it's a bad idea." She tagged on at the end anxiously.

"What is it, Connie?" Bella was totally curious as to why the older woman was in such a dither.

Connie exhaled deeply again, gazing steadily into Bella's eyes. "I'm going to ask Charlie to marry me." She revealed.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	35. Chapter 35

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Thirty-Five**

Wow! This was big! Huge! Whatever Bella expected Connie to say, proposing to Charlie wasn't one of them. She was thrilled that they had found each other. She had never seen her dad so happy. But marriage? So soon? They had only been dating a matter of months.

"You think it's a bad idea." Connie said, her enthusiasm dying when Bella didn't respond immediately.

Bella's breath caught in her throat. "No…you've just taken me by surprise."

"I know it's a huge deal." Connie sighed. "Maybe I am being too hasty. It would mean a huge upheaval for everyone." She reached for Bella's hands and held them tightly. "But sometimes, Bella, you have to take a chance in life. I've never felt like this before…not even with my first husband."

Bella could hear the ring of sincerity in Connie's voice. It was obvious she had fallen for Charlie hard, and she could tell that he felt the same. Was it her own ambivalent feelings about marriage colouring her opinion? She was beginning to think so. Just because her father's marriage to Renee had failed, it didn't mean this one would. Connie and Charlie were not young teenagers, they were mature adults. The circumstances were completely different. "Have you spoken to Colin about how you feel?" Bella asked, delaying her answer.

"My son and I are very close." Connie's face broke out into an affectionate smile. "He told me the other day how much he likes having Charlie around. He's missed having that. And he said it would be great to not be an only child anymore." Connie's eyes twinkled when she said the last part.

Bella had to laugh. Wasn't Colin only voicing the same thoughts she'd had the other day about having a sibling to share the load. "You know what, Connie? I say go for it! I have never seen my dad so smitten before." She declared adamantly, shrugging off the last of her doubts.

"Really?" Connie let out a little squeal of excitement. The two of them started jumping around in a circle holding hands like a couple of kindergartners.

"What on earth is going on in here?" Charlie stood in the doorway, looking completely mystified. Colin not so much. He was staring at his mom, a smile of amusement lighting up his face.

"Oh, nothing." Connie murmured as she stopped bouncing around and tried to smooth down her hair. But there was no hiding her flushed cheeks.

"Okay." Charlie drawled slowly, still looking confused.

Bella decided to intervene to stave off Connie's blushes. "Have you boys finished the dishes already?" She demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

"No…we got interrupted when we heard all the noise." Colin rolled his eyes in his mother's direction.

"Come on, kid. Let's leave the girls to it." Charlie shook his head in disbelief at their antics as he hustled Colin back into the kitchen.

* * *

"Wow!" Jacob said the next day after Bella had shared the news with him. "Connie's brave. Your old man is such a traditionalist, too."

"I know." Bella walked over to her bed and sat down beside him. "But you know what, I think its good to shake things up a little. Tradition can make things stale and boring."

"Go Bella Swan!" Jacob chuckled at the earnest expression on her face. "I guess that means I'm going to have to up my game in the future."

Bella couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked when he laughed. She loved the happy sound of his laughter, and the way his eyes danced. There hadn't been much to laugh about lately. She pushed him down on the bed and moved so she was straddling him. She put her forearms near his head and bent down so their faces were almost touching. "I love you, Jake." She breathed, running her fingers through his shaggy hair. The silky strands were now brushing his shoulders. "Can I ask you something?"

"Can I kiss you first?" He countered as his gaze flicked down to her lips for a split second before returning to her eyes.

Bella crashed her lips to his. His arms immediately went around her waist, pulling her closer to him, one of his hands tangling in her hair. He traced his tongue along her bottom lip slowly. Bella opened her mouth eagerly, his taste exploded into her mouth as he slipped his tongue in, massaging hers passionately, making her moan. Kissing Jacob seemed to get better and better each time. She was also burning with the need for him to touch her. He had been so careful since they lost the baby, treating her like some fragile piece of porcelain. Jacob pulled back after a few minutes, they were both breathing hard. He ran his hands slowly down her body from the top of her head down to her waist and back up again, looking at her lovingly.

"So, what is it you want to know, Bells?" He asked, gripping both his hands on her ass and squeezing gently.

Bella smiled at his beautiful face. "I want to know why you're growing your hair again. I mean wasn't the whole reason you got it cut was because it made it easier when you phased."

Jacob gasped as his cheeks warmed up with embarrassment. Bella's smile turned teasing and he groaned, shaking his head quickly. "No way. I'm not answering that." He whined, giving her the puppy dog look she couldn't resist.

"Come on." Bella encouraged. Jacob frowned and shook his head. Bella tried another tactic. "Please?" She begged, pecking his lips. "Please?" She continued in a soft whisper. "Please, Jake, I really want to know."

Jacob moaned and took a deep breath as she kissed down his neck. "Not fair!" He complained, finally giving in. "I'm growing it out because you're always saying how much you miss my long hair." He admitted, cupping her face in his hands and making her look at him.

Bella took a shaky breath. "You're doing it for me?" Her heart was racing in her chest. Jacob Black was utterly adorable. She kissed him tenderly. He kissed her back and rolled so she was lying underneath him. "I could kiss you all day." She whispered against his hot skin.

"That sounds like a good plan." Jacob mumbled.

Bella wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer to her, kissing him with everything she had to show how much she loved him. Jacob pinned her arms above her head and kissed her again. "I love you, Bella."

Her heart skipped a beat and her body began to tingle with need. Jacob kissed her again, stopping the words that were about to fall from her lips. She felt his grip loosen on her wrists, so she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling her closer to him. She felt him hesitate. "I'm not going to break, Jake." She murmured against his lips. "I'm okay. Please make love to me."

Jacob's concerned gazed locked with hers. "Are you sure?" He asked huskily. "I mean- "

Bella put her fingers over his lips to quieten him. "It's okay." She confirmed with a soft smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and kissed all over his face, before kissing him long and hard on his perfect mouth.

* * *

Flushed with love, Jacob and Bella came down the stairs holding hands. They had spent the past few hours while they had the house to themselves, making love, laughing and talking. Just being together-Jake and Bells.

The front door opened just as they reached the hallway. Charlie came in, looking harassed. He looked at them keenly, taking in their joined hands, flushed faces and Bella's obvious bed hair. He grimaced, his own face reddening as he tried not to think about what his precious daughter had just been up to.

"Alright." He said gruffly in greeting.

Jacob stifled a laugh at the police chief's obvious discomfiture. Bella gave him a stern look and elbowed him in the side. "Hey, Dad." She greeted him. "How was work?"

Charlie cleared his throat, his expression turning grim. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but word is already getting around so it's best that you know. Some local hikers went missing last night. They were found this morning…" He sucked in a sharp breath and shook his head as if trying to shake the memory of seeing their ravaged bodies out of his head. "It looks like an animal attack. Bears probably. Though I haven't seen anything so savage before. But we won't know until a proper autopsy has been done."

Bella began to shake uncontrollably. Her stomach swirled and her legs turned to jelly. She only remained standing because Jacob was holding her hand so tightly.

"Where?" Jacob asked, his voice was tight, controlled.

Charlie sighed, covertly glancing in his daughter's direction. "About half a mile from the Cullens old place." He revealed hesitantly.

Bella couldn't breathe. Her lungs refused to work. Her heart began to beat way too fast for her body to cope with. She knew she was descending into a panic attack, but still couldn't do anything to stop it. This wasn't an animal attack. Those innocent hikers had been victims of a vampire attack, and from the savageness of it, it was more than likely an out of control new-born. Which could only mean one thing-Trent had been turned and had been hidden right under their noses just like they'd suspected all along-in the Cullens mansion.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	36. Chapter 36

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Thirty-Six**

Bella couldn't enjoy the family dinner. It was impossible, especially knowing that Trent was out there somewhere-wild, dangerous and bloodthirsty. As soon as the revelation had hit them that Trent might have been hiding right under their noses all along, she had been living in a permanent state of fear.

Jacob and his brothers had staked out the Cullens old place, almost immediately finding evidence that their worst fears had been realised. Trent's scent was everywhere-both human and vampire. Victoria had turned him and stashed him in the place of her enemy while he transformed into a monster. With Riley's help they had done their best to track him. He wasn't inside the house when they checked, but it was clear he was using the mansion as a base to come back to. They followed his trail, which proved to be erratic, he seemed to have gone around in circles for a while, chasing his own tail until he came upon the unfortunate hikers and killed them in a frenzied attack to slake his thirst.

"Bella, you look very pale." Connie's concerned voice interrupted Bella's silent panic.

"I'm fine." She murmured.

"You don't look fine." Connie reached across the table and touched Bella's forehead gently with the back of her hand. "You're very hot."

"Bells?" Charlie studied his daughter's face anxiously. He hoped this wasn't a delayed reaction to the loss of her baby. She could be suffering with postpartum depression or something. Considering her history, it wouldn't surprise him. "If you feel unwell, we can always cancel dinner and go home."

"Please don't do that!" Bella begged. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the evening. "I can go home on my own. You stay."

"No, we'll all go. We can have dinner out anytime." Charlie looked over at Connie. "You don't mind, do you?" He asked.

"Of course not." Connie gave him a fond smile.

"I can stay with Bella and look after her." Colin piped up suddenly.

"I can't ask you to do that." Bella said softly. "But thank you for the offer."

"I don't mind, really." Colin insisted. "If I go with you then Mom and Charlie can stay."

Charlie and Connie exchanged a long look. They were only in the diner. It would take minutes to get home if Bella needed them. "I'm not sure…." Charlie hedged.

"I am." Bella tried to sound convincing. "I'll be okay. Colin can come with me if it makes you feel better. I plan to just curl up on the sofa and rest anyway. Please, I don't want to ruin everyone's evening."

Her pleas finally worked. Charlie and Connie finally backed down. "You call if you need us." Charlie reminded her.

"I will." Bella stood up on wobbly legs. She was beginning to wonder whether all the stress she had been under had brought on a chill or something. She smiled gratefully at Colin when she felt his hand on her back, steadying her. He really was such a sweetheart and she was looking forward to having him as a brother when Connie finally proposed to Charlie.

"We won't stay out too late." Connie promised. "Some proper rest will do you the world of good." She reached out and took Bella's hand. "See you soon. And you…." She looked at her son pointedly. "Take care of her, okay."

"Mom!" Colin complained, rolling his eyes.

* * *

"Whatever you want me to do, Bella, I'll do it." Colin promised her stoutly.

"Thank you. Just pass me the remote and I'll be fine." Bella gave him a weak smile. She had changed into a comfy pair of sweats and an old t-shirt of Jake's. It smelled like him and helped her to relax. She had sent Jake a quick text, telling him that she was now back home with Colin. He didn't immediately respond which meant he was probably still out with the others. Once he checked his messages, she knew he would send one of the others back to the house to keep an eye on them.

"Here you go." Colin fetched the remote and handed it to her before settling down in Charlie's recliner. Bella was stretched out on the sofa, a comforter draped over her legs. Colin spun around in Charlie's chair. "This is so cool." He said, doing a few more turns.

Bella smiled again at his eager face. No one could be down for long in his company. She was actually feeling a little better now she was in the safe confines of her own home. She used the remote to channel surf before she settled on a cooking show.

Colin grimaced. "Really, Bella?"

"You don't like food?" She laughed.

"Yes…_to eat._" Colin grimaced. "Not to watch someone else make it. Can we watch a movie or something? Do you have any decent films?" He abruptly dived from the recliner onto his knees on the floor as he began to sort through their small collection of DVD's. "Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, Romeo and Juliet, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Rambo? Ugh, is this it?" He said in disgust.

"There's nothing wrong with a good costume drama." Bella teased.

"No freaking way!" Colin pretended to shudder at the thought. "You are so cool, Bella, but your taste in movies is so lame." He sighed dramatically as he shoved the DVD's back into place. "I guess we're stuck with the cooking show." He ended with a gusty sigh.

Bella hid an amused smile as she watched her soon to be brother flop back onto the recliner with a resigned look on his face. Feeling slightly guilty, she decided to take pity on him and flipped through the channels again until she found something more to his liking. "Is this better?" She asked when she landed on one of the sports channels. A baseball game was in progress.

"Much better!" Colin said with a cheeky grin as he turned to face the flat screen.

* * *

The fear that had been lodged in Bella's chest ever since she had woken up that morning slowly began to fade away. It had sat there every time she drew breath, propelling her toward an anxiety she just didn't need. She had to trust that Jacob and the pack could take care of things. It had been a while since she had sent him the text and he still hadn't replied yet. Bella tried not to feel concerned about that. He would check in with her when he had the time. Meanwhile she was enjoying Colin's company. His boyish enthusiasm for one of his favourite sports was infectious. He had spent the last hour patiently explaining the rules to her. He had been horrified to learn how little she knew about the game and was determined to teach her. "You'll love it when you understand what's going on, Bella." He stated confidently. "You'll see."

"Don't count on it." She laughed.

Her fears began to evaporate the more she got involved watching the game. She found herself yelling at the screen along with Colin when one of the players made a mistake. They were rooting for the underdogs, cheering them on and then cursing when they made another stupid error. In the end the team they supported lost, but they agreed they had put up one hell of a fight.

"I feel like some munchies." Colin declared. "I'm going to raid the fridge. Want anything?"

"I'll just have a soda." Bella replied, yawning. She was feeling tired but content. Charlie and Connie would be back soon. She knew her father would be relieved to see her looking less tense.

"K.'" Colin sauntered off to the kitchen.

Bella heard rustling papers and a few thuds and bangs as Colin opened and shut some of the cupboards. Then there was suddenly an abrupt silence. Bella frowned, wondering at the sudden lack of noise. "Colin?" She called out. "You okay?"

He didn't respond.

"Colin!" Bella yelled louder. "This isn't funny!"

All that greeted her was a resounding silence.

Bella shoved the comforter off her legs and pushed herself onto her feet. The intense quiet was shredding her nerves. "Colin?" She said again, her voice shaking slightly. "Stop playing games!"

Stepping slowly out into the hallway she glanced toward the kitchen. The door was shut and she couldn't see inside. With her back pressed to the wall she began to creep toward kitchen. Her hands trembled and her eyes watered as she reached her hand towards the door knob. Something was behind there and somehow, she knew it was anything but good. Her body felt hot and sweat started to trickle down her neck when she realised what an idiot she had been to come home on her own with just Colin. She had promised Jake she wouldn't put herself in harm's way again. He thought she was safely in a public place so no wolf was watching the house like usual. His lack of response meant he still hadn't seen her text. Regret was a bitch. There was nothing she could do now but face what was on the other side of the door for Colin's sake. He was her brother in all but name. She gripped the door knob and twisted it.

With every move she made she got more and more terrified. Her breath quickened as the door creaked when she pushed on it. She stepped into the kitchen to find that Trent had Colin in an arm lock. His black hair was in disarray, his crimson eyes wild and full of bloodlust. Colin whimpered when he saw Bella, his first reaction was to start struggling again.

"Don't, Colin." Bella begged him. "Just stay very still."

Colin breathed raggedly as he obeyed her. Trent's hold on him tightened as his reddened gaze flicked to Bella. His lips pulled back over his teeth in a feral snarl. His expression was crazed, his bloodlust having overtaken his reason.

"Let him go. Take me." Bella pleaded. "Don't hurt him."

"No, Bella." Colin cried. His skin was hot, beads of perspiration coated his forehead. He trembled, his nostrils burning at the sickly-sweet stench coming off of Trent. His vision swam as he tried to focus his gaze on Bella. "Run!" He said hoarsely. "Run!" He yelled louder when she stayed rooted in place. Why didn't she go?

His eyes were watering violently. He couldn't see. He couldn't think. The intense heat which had overtaken his body was becoming painful. He struggled against his captor's tight hold, his body twisting and straining to break free. He heard Bella call his name, he tried to answer her but all that came out was an anguished howl. Then suddenly his captor thrust him away with a pained roar, sending him spinning in Bella's direction.

Colin's world exploded around him.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	37. Chapter 37

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Thirty-Seven**

The voices surrounding Colin were indistinct, muffled. He was in the grip of silent panic, wild eyes, pupils dilated, heart racing. His brain was on fire as he struggled to comprehend what was happening to him. The image of Bella's horrified face was eclipsed with the knowledge that he had killed her. He had killed Bella Swan-his almost sister was dead. Because of him. Her shrill screams rattled around his head like a cluster bomb exploding in his brain. He could still see her running, her arms flapping almost comically as she tried to escape from the monster he had become.

"I killed her! I killed her! I'm sorry. Help me!" His heart was bleeding at his feet.

"Cole, look at me, sweetheart."

The voices around him were becoming clearer now. The water plugging his ears was draining away.

"Mom?" He whimpered.

"Cole, baby. I'm here."

Colin's gaze flickered wildly at the sound of his mother's beloved voice. He was dreaming. Connie couldn't be here. He was a monster. He had killed Bella. He was a murderer. An evil thing. He twisted away from the sound of his mother's pleading voice and put his hands over his ears.

"I killed her! I killed her!"

"Hush, baby." Connie crooned. "You could never hurt anyone."

"Be careful, Connie." A deep male voice cautioned.

Was that Billy Black?

"Stay out of this, Billy." Another male voice said, his tone rough with anger.

"Charlie?" Colin breathed in despair. Charlie was here. The man he had already begun to think of as a father. He had ruined that now. He had hurt Bella. He had killed her. "I killed her." He sobbed. "I- "

"Stop." Charlie was hunkered down in front of him. "It's okay."

"Charlie, be careful…" Billy again.

"Shut the hell up!" Charlie roared at Billy.

"Chief, I…"

"Be quiet." Connie's soft cadence was filled with bitterness. "Don't interfere."

"He's just shifted for the first time. He's frightened…." Billy warned.

"And who's fault is that?" Charlie demanded. "Keeping us all in the dark like this! I'm never going to forgive you."

"I had no choice. I had…" Billy wept.

"Save it!" Charlie snapped again.

"My boy." Colin felt his mother's soft hands touch his face. His face? His human face? Her thumbs were caressing his hot cheeks. Had it all been a nightmare? Was any of this even real? "Mom…. I hurt Bella. I kill…"

There was the sound of a door crashing open. Then harsh breathing. Colin was jostled as his mother's soft hands were abruptly taken away to be replaced with others, equally as soft and gentle, but smaller. "I'm fine. I'm okay. YOU. ."

"Bella? Is that you?" Colin couldn't see through his tears as he grabbed her into a tight hug, his strong arms flexing around her, holding on too tightly.

"Easy now, Colin." Charlie placed a hand on the back of Colin's head when Bella gasped. "Just relax."

Colin loosened his grip. His vision cleared and he could see again. Bella was practically sitting on his lap, her pretty brown eyes full of tears, but she was smiling. "I didn't kill you?" He whispered.

"No." She shook her head and put her arms around him. "You saved me. You were so brave." Her gentle whisper was like a balm to his soul.

Colin held her for a long time, taking his time to let the relief that he hadn't harmed her sink in. Bella was the first to break away. She unravelled her choke hold on him and stood up, brushing her long hair away from her face with both hands as she smiled at him again. Colin smiled back, surprised that his mouth was able to follow the instructions from his frazzled brain. He was so damn hot! "Where am I?" He asked gruffly as he finally took the time to check his surroundings.

"My house." Billy Black appeared in his line of sight as the older man rolled his chair forward. "Your brothers would normally be here to guide you but they are busy chasing…."

"_A vampire_." Charlie cut in harshly as he eyed Billy angrily.

"V…v…vampire?" Colin said shakily. His whole body trembled as the memories of the strange man who had attacked him in the Swan's kitchen began to resurface.

"Dad, please." Bella shot Charlie a pleading look as she took Colin's hand in her own. "Save your anger and resentment for later. We need to think of Colin now."

"Yes." Connie took her son's other hand and held it against her face. "My brave boy." She murmured, closing her eyes as her tears began to fall.

* * *

Billy tried to pass Charlie a beer but the police chief gave him such a fierce glare that he ended up dropping the bottle onto his lap. He was forced to watch as Charlie turned his back on him and stalked out of the house. Billy flinched at the sound of the front door slamming, it shivered in its frame, the vibrations reverberating through the house. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Connie and Bella still fussing over Colin. Connie refused to look at him, though Bella flashed him a concerned glance. She rose to her feet as if about to go after her father but Billy shook his head and she hesitated.

"I'll go." He said huskily, manoeuvring his wheelchair toward the front door. With difficulty he opened it to find Charlie pacing back and forth like an angry lion on the front porch. He rolled his chair forward and let the front door smack closed behind him. "Charlie?"

"I don't want to talk to you, Billy." Charlie responded through gritted teeth. "Go away before I say something I regret."

"Say it anyway." Billy said wearily. "I deserve it." He swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry about the damage Colin did to your kitchen. Jake and the boys will fix it up when they…"

"I don't give a fuck about the kitchen!" Charlie exploded in fury. "And Jake and the others will certainly not be fixing up the mess that you created with your web of lies."

"It wasn't like that." Billy replied defensively. "If you just let me explain."

"So, you can bullshit me some more?" Charlie laughed darkly. "You and Harry must have been laughing behind my back all these years. Stupid old Charlie! The fool can't see what was right in front of his eyes." He blazed, throwing his hands up in the air while he continued to pace. "My own daughter was dating a fucking vampire! A VAMPIRE!"

"Charlie…." Billy tried again.

"Just shut up!" Charlie ranted. "Bella could have died. She came back to me full of broken bones and you said NOTHING! What sort of man are you, Billy Black? And Harry? Where is he right now? Huh? My good old fishing buddy Harry Clearwater! In hiding. Too cowardly to face me."

"HE'S WITH THE ELDERS RIGHT NOW TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO SAVE EVERYONE. JUST LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS. AND HE IS AFRAID. HE'S AFRAID JUST LIKE I AM. HE'S AFRAID THAT MORE OF OUR CHILDREN-OUR CHILDREN, CHARLIE, NOT YOURS-WILL HAVE TO SCARIFICE THEIR CHILDHOODS TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE!" Billy roared defiantly.

The two men faced off against each other, both breathing heavily. Charlie's hands clenched into fists, his jaw pulsing as he slowly let Billy's words sink in. His feelings of betrayal were fighting for dominance against Billy's harsh truths.

"I was in denial, Charlie." Billy continued after a while, his voice rough and full of pain. "After losing Sarah like we did I assumed my family had suffered enough for one life time. Harry and I never phased; we dodged a bullet. I never thought it would happen to Jake. His life had been turned upside down enough. I wanted him to have as normal a childhood as possible. I didn't want him to carry that burden on his shoulders-worrying about something that might never happen. He had enough burden already looking after me. And I had already lost my daughters when they found out the truth about Sarah…."

"Will Seth phase?" Charlie asked.

"For certain now that Colin has." Billy rubbed his aching forehead. "It's unheard of for it to happen before the age of sixteen."

"Colin is still a child." Charlie took a in a huge breath and shook his head in despair. "I should be in there comforting my family not out here yelling at you." His mouth twisted into a bitter smile. "I was going to propose to Connie. I don't expect she'll want anything to do with me now. Not after what's happened to Colin and Bella's involvement in it."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Billy murmured.

The two men locked eyes with each other for a long time as a silent apology passed between them which couldn't be voiced with mere words alone. Charlie was the first to break contact. He rubbed a hand over his face, shrugging his shoulders to loosen the tension in his body. He walked back inside the house, leaving Billy alone to stare morosely out at the darkening horizon.

* * *

Charlie walked into the front room to find Bella in the midst of telling Connie and Colin the truth of her relationship with Edward Cullen and the subsequent aftermath when he left her. She found it difficult to open up about something which she found so painful. Jacob was the only one who knew all her secrets, but even he didn't know the full of extent it. But guilt about what had happened to Colin because of her foolish decision to go back to the house unprotected made her forge ahead. Connie and Colin both deserved the truth from her and no one else. They may not understand, they might never forgive her, but at least she knew that she was being as honest as she could be.

"Connie…." Charlie said gruffly.

Connie turned to look up at him. He couldn't decipher her expression. He opened his mouth to continue but she held up her hand, indicating that she wanted him to be quiet. He fell silent and watched as she faced his daughter again. Connie took Bella's face in her hands, just like she had with Colin's earlier, and wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks away with a gentle caress.

"It wasn't your fault that you fell victim to a controlling vampire, Bella. As soon as he had you under his spell you never stood a chance, sweetheart. I know how painful it was to share your story with me and my son. Thank you for trusting us with the truth. And don't be ashamed of it." Connie gave her an empathetic smile before kissing Bella on the forehead.

"She's right, sis." Colin agreed as he flung his arms around them both.

Charlie felt his own cheeks wet with tears as he witnessed this emotional scene. He was determined not to be on the edge of it. He walked over to his family, because that was what they were, and wrapped his own arms around them in a group hug.

_**A/N-in the next chapter we'll see what's going on with Jake and the pack.**_


	38. Chapter 38

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Thirty-Eight**

Jacob took off running, not for the dirt path through the weedy hedge, but in the shortest line to the forest. Trent was easy to follow, his scent was everywhere, smouldering like a dying fire in the strong wind. Jacob hurdled the first line of driftwood easily and then ripped his way through the briars, still running full pelt. He felt the little tears as the thorns cut into his skin, but he ignored them. Their sting would be healed within seconds. His whole focus remained on his target.

His brothers were coming toward him from different parts of the forest. All of them suddenly converging together as they hunted Trent. The fire trembled down Jacob's spine, throwing tight spasms through the taut muscles along his haunches. The nightmarish memory of Bella's close call was haunting him, tearing at his self-control. If Colin hadn't been there…?

Heat flooded his vision as he thought about the new young shifter. He owed Colin a huge debt. A debt he would never be able to repay in this lifetime. It was a testament to the young boy's courage that he had managed to defend Bella against Trent and actually have enough wits to chase him off all at the same time. Jacob's own phasing had been traumatic enough, but it paled in comparison to what poor Colin had suffered.

Jacob threw his heavy paws against the matted earth and stretched his back in one long, rolling extension. Being a wolf was easier when he was centred like this. When the whole pack was working toward a common goal. He could feel his brothers getting closer and closer. Soon he glimpsed them between the trees. The pack was together now-moving in one choreographed motion, one family of canine dancers flowing over the earth. But these dancers were deadly, on a mission to kill the one who had tried to harm one of their family.

"Jake, maybe you should hold back and leave this to us." Sam cautioned. "You're too close to this."

Jacob hated it when Sam laid down the law like that. He hated the feeling of having no choice. Of having to obey.

"Don't even try and pull rank on me here, Sam." Jacob challenged him.

There was a heavy sigh from Sam. "That's not what I'm doing. I'm just concerned."

Jacob felt his resentment die down. "I know. I'm good, Sam."

"Okay." Sam's voice faded out as he took the lead, running fluidly by Jacob's side as they sped up, increasing their pace to try and catch up with the crazed new-born.

There was a low grumble around the pack as they realised where Trent was leading them, right back toward the Cullens old place. They became more cautious, their silent footfalls barely stirring the leaves on the forest floor. They continued in a parallel line, Sam making sure to stay very close to Jacob in case of any trouble.

"What do we do when we get there?" Paul thought.

"We kill him." Jacob replied coldly.

"Are you gonna be the one to take him down?" Paul demanded. "Especially considering what your mother did to hi- "

"Shut up, Paul." Sam snapped when he heard an angry growl erupt from Jacob's throat.

"He's not ready for this fight, Sam." Jared voiced his own doubts. The whole pack could feel Jacob's ambivalence seeping through the pack mind, his guilt over what Sarah had done to Trent and his family, which had warped and twisted Trent's mind, sending him spiralling down a dark path he had never recovered from.

"He will do what needs to be done." Sam turned his large head toward Jacob, looking for reassurance from him.

"I'm good." Jacob said again as he stared into Sam's black eyes. "You don't have to worry about me."

"Okay." Sam said, giving in and pushing his own doubts aside. He had to trust that Jacob was strong enough to remain impartial and carry out his duty without letting his personal feelings cloud his judgement.

As the pack continued on toward the Cullens mansion, swiftly following Trent's haphazard trail, Jacob tried hard not to think about what was going to happen next. He let his humanity bleed out of him until he became more animal than man. He would live in the moment; he would not let his family's tragic connection to Trent make him lose sight of his goal.

Soon they were in jogging distance of the house. The drive opened up into the meadow, and the smell hit him like a rotten tomato to the face. Ugh, reeking vampires. His stomach churned. The stench was almost unbearable. There was no sign of life around the big white crypt.

"What do we do?" Jared was the first to voice his opinion. "Do we wait?"

"We should go in and attack!" Paul snarled.

"You don't even know what part of the house he's in, dumbass." Quil sneered.

Paul barred his teeth at Quil which caused Sam to issue an Alpha command for them to shut up. They fell silent but continued to throw resentful glares at one another behind Sam's back.

"We have to flush him out somehow." Embry mused.

Jacob's dark eyes burned with an inner fire as he regarded the house. God, he hated the place. It brought back nothing but bad memories. It was an eerie place, when he thought about it, nothing living had ever resided there. He took one big gulp of air and turned to find Sam's big black wolf staring at him thoughtfully.

"Burn it to the ground." He stated harshly.

"The treaty." Sam reminded him.

"Is irrelevant. The Cullens don't live here anymore." Jacob's eyes tightened. "We could wait forever for him to come out. I, for one, do not want to spend days staking out the place in the hope that he's gonna appear. This way we force him out and end him quickly."

"And get rid of the mansion at the same time so the Cullens have nowhere to come back to." Embry knew ambushing their mortal enemy wasn't the only reason that Jacob wanted to raze the place to the ground.

"Yes." Jacob didn't bother to deny it. If he wanted to secure not only his future with Bella, but also for future generations, then getting rid of the Cullens base seemed a good place to stop them coming back to Forks ever again. If they tried, they would have to rebuild and it would prove costly, as well as attracting unwanted attention.

All these thoughts flowed through his mind and were shared by his brothers. But it wasn't their approval that he needed. It was Sam's. The massive black wolf and his russet counterpart stared at each for a long time, the only thing that moved was their thoughts as they had a silent discussion in their heads. In the end it didn't take long for Sam to be persuaded.

"Do it." He ordered.

* * *

"The flame has no culture, no pity, no mind, yet it consumes whatever it pleases. Its only criteria are, if it can take it and reduce whatever it burns to ash or something molten and foul, then it will," Jacob couldn't remember where he had heard the quote before but he knew it described Trent perfectly. He watched from a safe distance as the flames burned hot, short and violent, with no care of what would be left behind.

The smoke was being carried to the left by the wind, over the tree tops, raining down dirty ash like anti-snow. The flames continued to burn with varying degrees of colours. With each flare another of the Cullens possessions was set alight. The radiant heat was intense, like a colossal campfire, it cast its yellow glow into the night. The acrid smell dominated every breath, the flames louder than expected, roaring as they consumed what was once a fine home.

And roaring with them came Trent. Out of the choking black smoke he appeared, wild eyed, angry that his sanctuary was being destroyed. His black hair was scorched and singed in several places, his marble like skin smeared with ash. His eyes burned as crimson as the flames consuming what was left of the house as he began to run, his form blurring in an attempt to escape the wicked fire.

But there was no escape. Like a wall of impenetrable steel, the wolves were waiting for him.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	39. Chapter 39

**Wolf Boy **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Thirty-Nine**

_**Five days later;**_

"You alright now?" Connie asked Bella, putting her hands on either side of her face and looking at her in concern.

Bella nodded and licked her lips, they tasted salty for some reason, and then she realised she was crying. She wiped her face and sniffed as she slowly became aware of her surroundings. She was in Connie's house in La Push. She and Charlie had been staying there while their house in Forks was being repaired. Colin had even given up his room for her. They were in the lounge. Bella looked over at Jake sitting on the couch, staring at the floor. His eyes were tight, his posture tense. Connie had just walked in on them having a blazing row.

"I'm not going to pretend to be ignorant about what is going on here." Connie said quietly. "You two have been through things no one your age should have had to suffer. Don't tear yourselves apart over what can't be changed." She sighed, stroking Bella's face gently as she got ready to leave again. "Please, talk to each other this time without the yelling. I'll be back later."

When Connie was gone Jake walked over and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Damn it, Bells. I hate it when it we argue. I love you. But you can't keep doing this to me. You could have died! You keep breaking your promise. Every time I leave you alone, I'm scared something else is going to happen." He ranted, as he rocked her back and forth gently.

"I'm sorry." Bella said weakly. "I don't know what else to say to make this right."

Jake hugged her tightly. She was always so sorry afterwards. He wanted to forgive her for placing herself in unnecessary danger. Colin had been so close to her when he phased, she could have been another Emily, or worse lost her life. He would be forever grateful to the young shifter for saving Bella, but the truth was the poor kid shouldn't have been put in that position in the first place. That was all on Bella.

"Please, Jake, tell me what to do. I'll do anything you want to prove that I mean what I say this time." Bella pleaded.

"I don't know, Bells." Jacob said thickly. "I just don't know."

The hopelessness in his voice sent Bella reeling. The remorse she was feeling for the stupidity of her actions couldn't be put into words. She didn't blame him for feeling resentful toward her, but was scared that he wouldn't be able to forgive her this time. It was creating a barrier between them. They had overcome so much together, but this was proving their greatest test yet. Jacob's faith, his trust in her had been broken. She was frightened that it was damaged beyond repair.

"Connie's right, we can't keep arguing like this." Jacob said tiredly as he pulled away and took her hand instead.

"I know that, Jake." Bella tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace instead. "I'm sorrier than I can say." She raised a shaky hand and swiped at her tears again.

Jacob shook his head and clenched his jaw, taking a deep breath, obviously trying to keep himself calm before speaking. "I think I just need time, Bells."

Bella felt the familiar panic of rejection fluttering in her chest. She tried to keep her voice steady when she responded. "I love you, Jake. I'll prove that you can trust me again. I prom- "

"No, don't make me any promises." Jacob answered dully.

Bella cringed into him, wanting this all to be a bad dream. She knew he was suffering from more than a sense of betrayal. Being forced to kill the guy whose life had been destroyed by his own mother had broken something inside of him. She wasn't the only one who was aware of the changes in him-his brothers, Billy, Charlie, even Connie could see that he was struggling to deal with what he had done.

Before her stupidity had shattered his faith in her, Bella knew she was the one he would have confided his deepest fears and regrets to, but now he was shutting her out, just like he was everyone else. It was killing him. Jacob wasn't one to lock down his emotions forever.

"Please, talk to me, Jake." Bella whispered. "You haven't spoken about what happened with Trent. I mean I know the bald facts, but I don't know how you're…"

"There's nothing to say." Jacob's jaw was still tight, but his iron hard control was wavering. "We burned the Cullens crypt to flush him out. When he appeared, we killed him."

"But it's had an effect on you." Bella knew it was her fault that he couldn't confide in her. She reached for his face, her fingers stroking the hot skin of his cheek. "Don't bottle it all up, Jake."

"You'd know all about that." Jacob snapped at her.

Bella flinched away from him. Tears welled in her eyes as she focused her gaze on her shaking hands. "You're right." She muttered.

Jacob winced at the pain in her voice. He hated upsetting her. He loved her so fucking much, he couldn't live without her. That's why her reckless disregard for her own safety was fuelling his resentment toward her. "I shouldn't have said that." He apologised.

Bella drew in a shaky breath. She chewed on her lower lip, feeling weak suddenly, defeated. "I deserved it."

Jake huffed out a frustrated breath and sat back down on the couch. He dragged his fingers through his black hair. "You see that's the problem. You don't deserve it. I don't deserve it! None of us do. Even Trent-as sick and twisted as he was-didn't deserve it. One poor choice made by my mother has ruined so many lives, and we're the ones living with the consequences!" His head fell into hands and his body began to shake. "I hate her, Bells. I hate my own mother for tearing all our lives apart!"

Bella wanted to go and comfort him. She wanted to sit down next to him and cradle him in her arms, whispering sweet words of consolation. But she couldn't. The parallels between her and Sarah were striking. Both of them, in a selfish disregard for their own safety and those who loved them, had made poor choices, choices that had impacted on others lives. She realised now why her promises to Jacob sounded so hollow. She knew why he couldn't forgive her. She had let him down again and again, just like Sarah had done to him and Billy every time she promised to change and stop drinking.

This new self-knowledge was like an arrow straight to her heart. It left her raw and bleeding. "Jake, I am so in love with you." She said hoarsely. "I'll never stop loving you."

Jake's face shot up. The moisture in his eyes reflected his deep pain as he looked at her in confusion. "Why do you sound like you're saying goodbye?"

"I'm no good for you." Bella slipped her arms around her body as she tried to hold the broken pieces of herself together. "I keep hurting you even though I keep promising I'll stop."

"Damn it, Bella! Don't you dare!" Jacob ranted, not really able to get his words out.

"I have to dare." Bella tried to sound strong even though her heart was breaking. "I dare because I love you enough to let you go. I won't do what Sarah did to you and Billy. I won't be the person who breaks you."

Jacob sat on the couch, shocked, staring at her, his eyes wide with disbelief for a few minutes before he seemed recover his wits. He shook his head as if to clear it and then his eyes snapped back to hers. "Is that the same speech the bloodsucker gave to you before he dumped you in the woods?" He questioned sarcastically.

A gush of air left Bella's body and she suddenly felt faint. She stumbled, one hand reaching out to the wall to steady herself. "Jake, please, don't bring E…Edward into this."

"Why not, Bella?" Jacob snapped, rising angrily to his feet. "He's the one who left because he was too much of a coward to stay. But I'm still here! I'm always here. Whatever you throw at me I always stay." His voice cracked on the last word and he collapsed on the couch again, his anger leaving him as swiftly as it had come.

"Oh, god, what am I doing?" Bella cried in despair. She rushed over to Jacob and hugged him tightly. "I hate that I keep hurting you. I don't want to be Sarah all over again."

Jake gasped looking at her. "Is that what I made you think?"

"I keep making poor choices like she did, Jake. I'm selfish. I promise to be careful and then I go and break that promise at the first opportunity. I've hurt so many people, but you most of all."

Jacob was stunned. He put his hands on either side of Bella's face and looked deeply into her sad brown eyes. "You are nothing like Sarah. I love you, Bells. I love you more than my own life. I'm so scared of losing you that it kills me that you don't seem to have the same regard for your own life as I do." He hushed her when she tried to apologise again. "I know you didn't mean to do it." He buried his face in the side of her neck. "I am seriously pissed at you. But I will get over it."

Bella let out the breath she didn't realise she was holding and began to cry silent tears of relief.

"I'm going to say what I said before. Until we deal with the red headed bitch you can't ever put yourself in a situation like that again. You have to think about your every move and you must never put yourself in danger again. I don't care what the reason is; its not a good enough reason for you to get hurt. Do you understand me?" Jacob practically growled.

Bella nodded. "I love you, Jake." She murmured, closing her eyes as the tears spilled down her cheeks.

"I love you too, honey." Jacob said huskily, bending his head and kissing her gently. By the time he pulled away they were both slightly breathless. They remained quiet for a while before he spoke again. "Bells, can I ask you something?" He took her hand and weaved their fingers together. "You weren't really going to finish with me, were you?"

Bella hated the doubt in his eyes. "I would never have followed through with it. I would have lasted two seconds before I was on my hands and knees begging you to take me back."

Jacob smiled as he pulled her in for another kiss. This time it was a genuine smile, the special one he reserved just for her. He continued to kiss her, softly and tenderly, making her feel like the most special girl in the world.

While they were so occupied with each other they didn't see the door open slightly as Connie peered through the gap, Charlie was standing behind her. "What's going on in there?" He asked impatiently.

Connie smirked as she closed the door quietly. "All you need to know is that they've made up." She said, patting him on the chest. "It looks like we're eating out tonight." She laughed, capturing his hand and pulling him back outside.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	40. Chapter 40

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews! I think we need some light relief in this story….**_

**Part Forty**

_**A week later;**_

Charlie sat on the edge of the bath in Connie's tiny bathroom and pulled the black velvet ring box out of his shirt pocket. He snapped it open and studied the white gold engagement ring carefully. The single diamond twinkled in the shaft of light shining through the room's only window. He had spent days hunting for the perfect ring, it involved discreet detective work on his part, gently coaxing out of Connie what type of jewellery she liked- "Nothing flashy," was her constant refrain.

He had come across some old photographs of Connie holding Colin as a baby. She was still married to her childhood sweetheart then, the ring she was wearing was halo shaped, definitely blingy with its zirconia stones and yellow gold band. This was the complete opposite to what she said she liked-which confused Charlie for a while-until he gave it some thought and decided that her old flashy ring just reminded her of her troubled marriage, she was younger back then, and tastes changed. Obviously, she would prefer something more subtle now.

Charlie's hand shook with nerves as he thought about proposing. He was taking Connie out to one of the most expensive restaurants in Port Angeles. They had musicians and everything. He planned to propose with the subtle sound of violins playing discreetly in the background. He had seen the whole thing done on T.V. A guy on one of those ridiculous reality dating shows that Bella and Connie were addicted to had done the exact same thing. He had dropped down on one knee during a romantic dinner and fished out an expensive diamond. With violins playing in the background he had given a long, soppy speech about meeting the love of his life…. blah, blah, blah.

Just the thought of doing the same thing had given Charlie hives. He had been constantly scratching for the past few hours. He had put a soothing balm on the rash, which was slowly spreading from his chest up toward his collarbone, but nothing seemed to be working. "Get yourself together, man!" He muttered under his breath.

He took another deep breath and stared at the ring. He had been practising the proposal in his head all morning. He tried again. "Connie Littlesea, I never thought my daughter forcing me to use a dating app would lead me to meet such a wonderful- "

A loud rap on the door made Charlie jump. He was so startled that his hand jerked. Like a scene out of a bad comedy he watched the small velvet ring box sail through the air, turning upside down on its journey toward the open toilet. The engagement ring he had spent so many hours searching for fell out of the box and plopped into the toilet bowl with a tiny plink.

* * *

Colin rapped on the bathroom door again. He was desperate to take a piss. He heard a strangulated cry from the other side of the door, followed by the words- "No, no, no…. this can't be happening!"

"Charlie, is that you?" Colin knocked on the door again as he began to hop from one foot to another. "Are you having trouble going or something?" He grimaced, trying not to imagine what a bomb site that would leave behind if the older man's bowels were playing up. "I'm not clearing that up." He mumbled under his breath as he began to beat a hasty retreat. He would find somewhere else to take a piss.

Before Colin could escape, the bathroom door was abruptly thrust open and a harassed Charlie appeared. "Why did you have to bang on the door like that?" He demanded in frustration. "It's stuck in the u-bend now and I can't fish it out!"

As far as Colin was concerned that was too much TMI. He really liked and admired Charlie, but hearing about his toilet habits was a step too far in his book. "I'm sure it will come unstuck eventually. Um…I'll find somewhere else to go." He edged toward the stairs.

"Oh no, you don't!" Charlie reached out and grabbed Colin by the shoulder. This wasn't a smart move as Colin had grown exponentially since turning wolf and all it served was to wrench Charlie's shoulder. "Ow!" He groaned in pain, rubbing the sore spot vigorously with his other hand.

"Are you okay?" Colin was immediately apologetic. "I am so sorry."

Charlie gasped with the pain but he decided to use this to his advantage. "There's no way I can get at it now. You'll have to try. Your arms are longer and you'll be able to reach further."

Colin's face turned ashen. "Oh, please, anything but that!" He begged.

"Get in!" Charlie ordered the young shifter. "This is a matter of the highest importance."

"But I need to take a piss." Colin whined.

"Use one of your mom's vases." Charlie said impatiently as he forced Colin into the small bathroom ahead of him before quickly closing the door behind them.

* * *

Jacob dropped Bella off at Connie's house. He had to admit having her and Charlie living on the reservation was proving to be a blessing. It had eased his worries about her safety, knowing that she was so close. It also eased the burden on the pack. They weren't forced to constantly stake out the Swan's house in Forks every day now that they were within the protective boundaries of La Push. It gave the wolves more time to concentrate on tracking down Victoria.

As Bella began to climb out of the car, Jacob leaned across and grabbed her waist, pulling her back toward him. He kissed the back of her neck. "I'm going to miss you." He murmured against her soft creamy skin. "You're so beautiful."

"I'll miss you, too." Bella smiled, blushing like crazy at his compliment.

Jacob kissed the side of her head and reluctantly let her go. "I'll see you later. Love you."

"I love you more." Bella leaned in for a proper kiss this time, smiling against his lips when he murmured more words of love. When they finally parted, they were both breathing heavily. "I better go." She said with a resigned sigh. She climbed out of the car and shut the door, blowing kisses and running alongside the vehicle as Jacob slowly drove away.

Bella was practically skipping as she let herself into Connie's house. It was weird how the tiny house was already beginning to feel like home. The two up two down building had been lovingly looked after by Connie, it was beautifully furnished, the older woman had exquisite taste. Bella hoped Connie would be able to work her magic on her father's house in Forks. The décor had not been updated in years, the police chief had done nothing to it since Renee had left, apart from giving the walls a lick of paint now and again.

Happily humming to herself Bella thought about what Connie had confided in her the night before. She had told Bella that she had planned the perfect proposal. Connie knew how much Charlie loved his baseball. With military planning she had bought tickets to one of the local teams upcoming games. She couldn't afford the Mariners, so this was the next best thing. She was going to stand on the plate before the game started and propose to Charlie who would be watching from the stands.

"I've bought tickets for everyone, Bella. You, Colin, Jake and Billy, too. I even asked Harry and Sue!" Connie had danced around like a little girl at Christmas.

"That is amazing!" Bella had squealed, dancing along with her. "You are a genius! Dad will love it!"

"I know, right?" Connie hugged Bella tight in her enthusiasm. "It'll be much better than some staid old proposal in an expensive restaurant like we see on those ridiculous reality shows."

Bella smiled at the memory as she skipped up the stairs toward Colin's room. She was so grateful to him for giving up his bed for her. He was the sweetest almost brother in the world. She couldn't wait until he was officially her step brother. As she passed the bathroom, she heard some strange noises coming from inside. Bella paused, pressing her ear to the door and listening curiously.

"_I'm stuck! My freaking hand is stuck!" _

Was that Colin? He sounded panicked.

"_For goodness sake! How did you manage that?" _

That was Charlie!

Bella pressed her ear harder against the door.

"_Just yank your hand out."_ Charlie again.

"_I can't. I'm telling you, Charlie, it's stuck."_ Colin's voice was rising higher the more he panicked. _"What am I gonna do? The guys are never gonna let me live this down once they find out!" _

"_Don't tell them then."_ Charlie snapped impatiently.

"_You're forgetting the pack mind, Charlie._" Colin lamented miserably. _"As soon as I think about it, they're gonna know." _

"_Well don't think about it then. Simple_." Charlie was showing no sympathy at all.

"_That's impossible. I'm never gonna forget this day as long as I live!" _

What on earth was going on in there? Bella knocked on the door tentatively. There was suddenly a resounding silence. She knocked again and waited. Still nothing! Frowning, she pushed on the door but it felt like it was glued shut.

"I know you're in there." Bella said testily, giving up. "Dad! Colin! Open the door!"

"Is that you, kiddo?" Charlie checked warily. "Are you alone?"

"Yes." Bella replied in exasperation. "You're lucky it is me. What are you doing in there?"

"Nothing for you to worry about, Bells." Charlie said unconvincingly.

"Maybe she can help." Colin asked hopefully.

"No, we've got this." Charlie answered in a hushed whisper. "I'm a man and you're a werewolf. We can do this!"

Bella rolled her eyes and banged on the door again. "Dad, just let me in and tell me why you and Colin are locked in the bathroom together."

"My hands stuck in the u-bend, Bella." Colin yelled from the other side of the door.

"What? Why?"

"Thanks very much, Colin." Charlie scolded him irritably.

"Dad, just open the door." Bella was getting tired of this now. She stood back and waited. Eventually she heard the lock click and the door opened to reveal a sheepish looking Colin kneeling in front of the toilet as if he had just been sick or something. Charlie was standing awkwardly next to him, his face beet red with embarrassment or irritation, it was hard for Bella to tell. "Someone, just please tell me what's going on?"

Charlie sighed heavily and shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "I had an accident." He admitted.

Bella grimaced as she wondered what he meant by accident. Surely, he didn't mean…?

"Not that type of accident!" Charlie barked at her when he caught the horrified look on her face. "I dropped something down the toilet bowl and I can't get it out. Colin was supposed to be helping…" He threw the poor kid an annoyed glance. "And this is where we ended up."

Bella shook her head in disbelief and began to roll her sleeves up. "Leave it to me." She said, rolling her eyes again. "Come on, Cole, I'll save you."

A relieved smile spread across Colin's face as he waited for his almost sister to rescue him.

* * *

"You are a genius, Bella." Colin praised her as he flexed his fingers to check they were still working.

"That's me." Bella laughed. "All it took was a bit of wriggling and you were home free."

Charlie sighed impatiently. "Can we do a rain check on the congratulations. What about my…. the um…thing I dropped down the toilet?" He suddenly looked cagey.

"A wire coat hanger should do the job." Bella decided. "What exactly did you drop down there?" She peered down at the bowl, grimacing again.

"Nothing for you to worry about." Charlie was suddenly intent on chasing her away. "I can take it from here. A wire hanger sounds perfect. Off you go, Bells. I'm sure you're busy."

"Why are you trying to get rid of me?" Bella asked suspiciously.

Charlie let out a fake laugh and nudged Colin in the side. "We're not trying to get rid of you. Right, Colin?" He glanced up at Colin, who glanced back at him totally confused. "_Right, Colin?"_ Charlie said again, doing little to hide his exasperation.

"Oh…yeah, right." Colin nodded his head in agreement even though he had no idea what the hell Charlie was on about.

Bella gave up on trying to work out why they were acting so weird. Angela was coming over for coffee. "Look, Angela is coming over soon and I need to get ready. Just make sure you clean up after yourselves." She ordered as she finally left them alone to their devices and headed to her room to get changed.

"So, Colin." Charlie said, turning to face the bewildered teenager. "Where does your mom keep the wire coat hangers?"

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


	41. Chapter 41

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Forty-One**

Bella heard the alarm beep behind her but it quickly cancelled so she didn't bother to open her eyes. She was just drifting back into blissful sleep when she became aware of someone singing quietly in her ear, and fingers trailing up and down her sides, tickling her skin. She couldn't help the goofy smile that stretched across her face.

"Morning, gorgeous!" A soft kiss was planted on the side of her neck making her draw in a ragged breath. "I love you, Bella Swan." The husky voice continued to sing in an off-key whisper.

Bella opened her eyes and half rolled over to see Jacob lying against her back. His handsome face was merely inches away, and his dark eyes were locked onto hers. His black hair was messy and sticking out at all angles, but it suited him like that, it made him look so sexy. He had a five o'clock shadow across his strong jaw and a big smile that matched her own.

"I love waking up next to you" He mumbled, his lips almost touching hers. "This is the first time in nearly a week."

"Hooray!" Bella replied, giggling.

Charlie had been on a night shift at the station; Colin was doing one of his own as he patrolled with the pack. Connie was the only one in the house during the night-Jacob and Bella had been discreet-but they knew she knew that Jacob had stayed over. Connie was being totally awesome about it, but even she had left for work now. It was just the two of them in the house.

Jacob laughed and finally pressed his soft lips to Bella's. She smiled against his lips and wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling him closer to her as he sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, nibbling on it gently. Bella opened her mouth, praying that she didn't have morning breath, but knowing Jacob wouldn't care even if she did.

Bella lost herself in the bliss of Jacob's kissing, silently giving thanks, as she had done hundreds of times over the past few months, that he loved her as much as she loved him. His hand traced up her stomach as he kissed her deeply, making her toes curl as her body got so excited that she could barely think about anything other than his taste and the feel of his fingertips trailing over her body. Finally, he pulled away and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I could get used to being woken up like that." Bella murmured.

"Good morning, beautiful." Jacob said again. "You know, I'll never get used to how lovely you look in the morning. The messy bed hair really does it for me. So perfect." He teased lightly, gripping her hip and pulling her closer to him again.

Bella smiled, tracing her fingers across his broad shoulders. "You're just full of the compliments today."

Jacob laughed and brushed his nose against hers. "I try." He tugged on the bottom of his t-shirt that she slept in. "I'm running out of t-shirts, honey. You've got to let me keep some."

"Not this one." Bella pouted. "This one is my fave."

"You said that about the last one."

"Whatever, Jake." Bella giggled. "You are not getting it back."

"It looks much better on you anyway." Jacob stroked the side of her face.

The way he was looking at her made Bella's cheeks turn rosy. The soft, tender way he was gazing at her made her heart melt. She thought about how funny it was, how young they were, but she already knew he was the guy, the one, and the look on Jacob's face told her he was thinking the exact same about her.

The alarm went off again and Bella sighed irritably. She traced one finger along Jacob's scratchy jawline, imagining what it would feel like tickling her body. Her whole skin heated up this time and she breathed heavily to try and rein in her desire for him.

Jacob grinned and immediately jumped out of bed, and again Bella was struck by how lucky she was that this boy wanted her. Jacob stretched his long arms above his head, before dropping down next to her again as he caught her ogling his body. His eyebrow rose knowingly as he smirked at her. "I think I can spare another five minutes." He whispered close to her ear.

"For what?" Bella feigned innocence.

Jacob's mouth was back on hers in an instant. "I love you. So much." He whispered against her lips as he deepened the kiss.

* * *

The sweet morning he had spent with Bella soon had to be put to the back of Jacob's mind as he set off to meet Riley Biers. It had been a while since their last contact. Since Trent's death Riley was laying low. Victoria was incensed that her protégé had met such an undignified end. She had big plans for Trent and now they had come to naught.

When Jacob arrived at their meeting place, he found Riley already waiting for him. The young vampire looked jittery. His eyes-now losing the bright crimson that had marked him as a bloodthirsty newborn-were taking on a golden hue. Riley was trying to follow the vegetarian diet favoured by the Cullens. He was struggling, but so far hadn't lapsed, even though he was surrounded by temptation on all sides.

"I can't stay long." Riley remarked as soon as Jacob strode into view.

Jacob noted Riley's agitated movements and his suspicions were aroused at once. "What's wrong with you?" He asked sharply.

"There is nothing wrong." Riley's denial didn't ring true. His furtive gaze kept dancing around the clearing, his focus bouncing from one object to another.

Jacob knew when to trust his gut instinct. Riley was hiding something. Jacob decided not to confront him outright. He and his pack had come to rely on Riley's intel on Victoria's movements. He didn't want to accuse him of something when he had nothing but his own sixth sense telling him that something was bothering Riley.

Jacob relaxed his stance and tried to keep his voice sounding as nonchalant as possible. "Do you have any news for us?"

"Victoria is angry at the world. She has limited patience. She curses day and night." Riley's mouth turned down with bitterness as he shook his head. "She's impossible to be around right now. Killing Trent has only increased her thirst for revenge."

Jacob sighed in frustration. He had been hoping for something significant. Time was dragging on. Not knowing when or where the fiendish red head would strike next was wearing them all down. "Is that all you have?"

"I can only do so much. You are lucky I am helping at all." Riley snapped. He dragged his long, white fingers through the thick mop of his brown hair. "You expect too much from me."

"You were the one who offered your help." Jacob reminded Riley sharply, staring him down.

Riley's jaw pulsed with anger; his eyes darted away from Jacob. It was grating on Jacob's nerves that the young vampire couldn't meet his gaze. There was definitely something fishy going on with Riley. His furtive movements spelled trouble. Had Victoria's response to Trent's destruction spooked Riley? Was he now wishing he had never started to spy on Victoria?

Jacob decided to try and coax the truth out of Riley. His kept his face relaxed as well as his posture. "How's the change in diet going?" He asked as a way to show some interest in Riley's welfare.

"Do you mean have I fallen off the wagon?" Riley jeered. He hesitated when he noticed Jacob frown and shook his head. "I've been sticking to it." He muttered grudgingly. "But it's hard."

"It's harder when you're on your own." Jacob conceded, trying his best to be understanding.

Riley's tongue darted out nervously as he licked his lips. "About that…"

"About what?" Jacob felt his stomach churn as Riley rocked on his heels. "If you have something to say, then say it."

Riley licked his lips again, his expression cagey. "I'm not on my own." He admitted.

"You said you'd been avoiding Victoria!" Jacob growled.

"I'm not talking about Victoria." Riley countered angrily.

"Then who?" Jacob demanded.

"I don't need to explain myself to you!" Riley was getting as riled up as Jacob.

"When you are on my territory you do." Jacob reminded him harshly. "Have you joined a coven?"

"No." Riley's face hardened. "You don't know how lonely it gets wandering these woods by yourself."

"Just answer the question. Who are you with?" Jacob demanded again.

Riley's gaze flicked toward a group of trees downwind of both of them. "You can come out now." He called, his voice turning softer.

Jacob's nostrils flared as he immediately tested the air with his sensitive nose. Riley had been devious hiding his companion downwind, and just far enough away that he wouldn't detect him. Jacob tensed, getting ready to defend himself if this turned out to be trap. There was a slight rustling in the trees, followed by a sharp intake of breath. Slowly, Riley's companion emerged into the dappled light of the clearing, revealing themselves to be the last person Jacob had expected.

It was Lily.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	42. Chapter 42

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Forty-Two**

Jacob couldn't get over his shock as he stared at Lily. He watched as she cast a nervous glance in Riley's direction before presenting herself to Jacob like a debutante at a ball. "It's nice to meet you." She said, holding out her hand toward Jacob as if he was a complete stranger. "Any friend of Riley's is a friend of mine." Her nose wrinkled slightly in distaste, the sheen on her marbled tan skin shimmering a little as she glanced over her shoulder at Riley again.

"You'll just have to get used to the smell, Lil." Riley said sardonically.

Lily's crimson eyes tightened as she looked at Riley as if he had made an unforgivable faux pas. "Forgive him." She whispered to Jacob in a baby voice. "He doesn't mean to be so crude. I'm sure once you've had a bath that appalling dog smell will wash right away."

She was crazy! Totally loopy!

Jacob stared at Lily's lovely face in disbelief. He could see the madness in her eyes as she gazed up at him with a childlike innocence that was horrifying. He gave Lily a wide birth and confronted Riley with an angry scowl. "What were you thinking changing her? She was getting the help she needed in that hospital- "

"I wasn't the one who changed her." Riley interjected harshly. "I'm a newborn. I wouldn't have the restraint not to drink her dry, even with this new diet I'm on."

"Victoria changed her?" Jacob gasped in disbelief. "Why?"

"Why do you think?" Riley snapped in exasperation. "You killed Trent so she decided to use the only sibling that was left. She hoped to manipulate Lily's hatred towards you like she did Trent's. What Victoria didn't factor in was Lily's madness and that her memories would be wiped when she changed. Lily doesn't remember anything-who she is, or who you are. The only thing she had left was her feelings for me. She didn't know who I was but she knew that she loved me."

"So, you…?"

"Are now her babysitter." Riley cut in again before Jacob could finish his sentence. He looked at Lily, who was kneeling on the ground now, plucking random weeds and winding them around her slim fingers, humming a lullaby to herself. "Victoria dumped her on me after she figured out how useless Lily was to her. She demanded I keep an eye on her while she worked out what to do next." His voice turned bitter. "Lily may be crazy but she's company for me…gives me something to focus on."

Jacob didn't know what to think. It was all so insane. Knowing that Lily was in the psychiatric facility getting the medical help she so desperately needed had given him some comfort. Now that small comfort had been cruelly snatched away as it was glaringly obvious that Lily was going to suffer the same fate as her brother. There was no way she would survive, not in the mental state she was in, even with Riley looking after her. How long would it be before he tired of her? Or Victoria manipulated her into doing something dangerous.

Jacob's heart ached with suppressed guilt as he watched Lily brush the weeds off her fingers and leap to her feet like the most graceful ballet dancer. She smiled coyly at Riley and took his hand. "Isn't he handsome?" She simpered, glancing over her shoulder at Jacob. "Am I not the luckiest girl in the world to find someone so devoted?"

There was a flicker of impatience in Riley's eyes as he forced himself to submit to her affectionate advances. "Calm down, Lily." He warned her brusquely.

Lily pouted, her reddened eyes turning bleak. "Don't you love me anymore?" She whispered like a child who'd had its favourite toy taken away. "Don't fuss at me, Riley, please?"

Jacob's brain stuttered for a moment as he tried to get his thoughts to catch up with what he was seeing. He felt a mixture of horrified fascination as he watched Lily fawn over Riley while he continually brushed her off with a passive tolerance built up over a lifetime of patience. He wondered if this was an all too familiar scenario for Riley, whether this had been the way she behaved when they had been a couple in the distant past, before Trent had poisoned her mind with his vicious lies.

"You can't carry on like this indefinitely." Jacob finally spoke as his gaze travelled to Lily. She was pressed into Riley's side, humming to herself, seemingly oblivious to everything going on around her again.

"I know that! But what am I supposed to do with her?" Riley's harsh tone cracked on the last word, showcasing his despair underneath. "Have you ever known what it's like to love someone and hate them all at the same time?"

Jacob fleetingly thought of his mother. At one time he was so angry with Sarah because of what she'd done that he thought he hated her, but he didn't, not really. He loved her-despite the tragic circumstances of her passing-he had learned to forgive her for the poor choices she'd made. It had been tough, but if he wanted to move on with his life, he had to let the past go. He didn't want to be like Billy, forever mourning for a wife he adored, but holding onto the guilt that wasn't his to bear.

"I feel for you." Jacob said huskily as he finally responded to Riley's question. "You have suffered more than anyone."

"I want this to be over, Jacob Black." Riley answered darkly. "I may have unlimited energy reserves but I'm so tired. I'm tired of it all." He let out a resigned sigh as he looked down at the shiny cap of Lily's bobbed hair.

Sensing his eyes on her, she cast her eyes to his, her mouth twisting into an adoring smile. "Isn't he handsome?" She said proudly as her gaze slid to Jacob. Her lips puckered in confusion as she failed to recognise him. "And you are?" She said in a babyish voice as she stepped away from Riley and introduced herself to Jacob all over again.

* * *

Bella breathed in and out but the air wouldn't enter her lungs. Starved for air, her heart raced at a tremendous speed, and her lungs shallowly rose and fell in time. She stood folded in Jacob's comforting embrace for what felt like an eternity but was actually only five minutes. Jacob's news about Lily had shattered her last vestiges of control. Security was nothing but a distant memory, each new layer adding an element of risk that threatened to drown them all. Each second submerged in fear made a permanent mark on her heart, while her vivid imagination made her fears intensify until she struggled to breathe at all.

"Bells, enough!" Charlie's harsh reprimand had both Jacob and Billy staring at the police chief in disbelief. "You can't keep letting your fears overwhelm you like this."

"Chief…." Billy interjected carefully. "She's in shock."

"No, he's right." Bella gasped as she pulled herself out from the security of Jacob's arms. "I…I ca…can't keep falling apart whenever there's bad news."

"That's my girl." Charlie said with a proud smile.

Jacob gave the police chief an annoyed glance as he placed a hand either side of Bella's face. "Are you alright now?" He asked in concern.

"I'm okay." Bella nodded, gulping in huge lungsful of air. The shock was wearing off now and she found she could focus again.

Even though Bella's panic attack had been defused, Jacob found he was still annoyed at the way her father had dealt with the situation. He had showed little compassion and patience while he had tried to calm Bella down. It was unlike Charlie. He had talked down to Bella like she was one of his deputies falling apart on the job. He glared at the police chief, expressing his irritation with his eyes.

"Don't glare at me like that, Jake." Charlie said brusquely, placing his hands on his hips.

"You could show a little empathy." Jacob muttered.

"Jake!" Billy's eyebrows shot up in surprise at his son's comment. "Don't talk to Charlie like that."

"I'll stop when he shows that he can be a bit more understanding. He's new to all this. He has no idea what Bells has been through…" Jacob snapped at Billy.

"And whose fault is that?" Charlie snapped right back at Jacob. "I know my daughter's been through hell and back." His voice softened as he turned to look in her direction. "But I also know she can be strong, if only she'd let herself believe it." He smiled, getting an answering smile from Bella.

Jacob threw his hands up in the air and sank down on Connie's sofa, shaking his head angrily.

Bella hurried to sit beside him and took one of his hands and clasped it between her own. "Thank you for always looking after me." She said to him gently. He turned his head and gazed deep into her beautiful brown eyes. He loved her so much it hurt. Did this deep love cause him to treat her with kid gloves all the time? Was he making things worse by trying to shield her from everything? He just didn't know.

"I just want to keep you safe." He said huskily, drawing her back toward his chest.

"And you do." Bella replied earnestly. "But you can't protect me from everything…. even bad news. I can cope, Jake. I have to."

"I just don't know what to do anymore." Jacob admitted his deepest fear. "I feel out of my depth. Just when I thought we were getting somewhere…. this happens!"

"Oh, Jake!" Bella reached up and pulled his head down to hers so she could kiss him.

"You're not alone, son." Billy rolled his chair forward so he was facing Jacob. "We're all in this together. We'll find a solution."

"But what, Dad? Tell me what this solution is?" Jacob felt his frustrations building up again.

"It's obvious." Charlie said from the corner of the room.

"What?" Jacob stood up, pulling Bella with him as he faced the police chief.

"Instead of waiting around for her to make her next move, you take the fight to Victoria." Charlie's expression was stern as he locked eyes with Jacob. "Get Riley to set up a meeting with her in a place of your choice. When she turns up, you'll be the ones waiting for her. Then you flush her out, and then kill her."

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	43. Chapter 43

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!_**

**Part Forty-Three**

Jacob stood under the spray of the shower, wincing, letting the hot water pound into his shoulders and back. Damn, his whole body ached. He needed to get rid of all these aches and pains before he saw Bella. She was like a damn mind reader when it came to his moods. He didn't want her worrying more than she already was.

He dried and changed quickly and headed to Forks to meet her at school. She was usually in the library waiting for him when he was running late. He hastened by the school buildings until he reached the library door. He pushed on it but it didn't open. He looked at it confused and tried it again, but it was locked. _What the hell?_ He squinted through the door, but even the lights were off. _Why the hell would the library be locked? _She always waited there when he wasn't in the parking lot as soon as school ended. It was a safe place, she was normally surrounded by other students, studying.

Jacob pushed away the flutters of panic that was beginning to build in his chest. There was probably a rational explanation of why the library was closed so early. Perhaps the librarian was off sick, or had to leave early. He sighed and headed back toward the parking lot. Maybe she was waiting for him there after all, and in his haste, he had just missed her. He reached it and scanned the area, his eyes narrowing when he found no sign of Bella.

Frustrated, he yanked his cell out of his back pocket, intending to call her and give her another serve for not letting him know what the hell was going on. Bella knew better than this. She had promised him faithfully to always keep in touch, this was a tense time, she knew that. After finally persuading Riley to help them lure Victoria to a pre-arranged location, they were all on tenterhooks waiting for him to get back to them. Jacob knew that Riley had to tread carefully and pick the right moment to lay the trap. Victoria was becoming increasingly unpredictable and was suspicious of everyone and everything since her latest plans had been such disasters.

But when Jacob looked at his phone, he realised that the screen was blank. The battery must have died. He nearly crushed it he was so annoyed. "Dammit!" He cussed. That explained why he wasn't getting any text messages from Bella. He tried to calm down and think about what to do. If Bella wasn't in the parking lot, or in the library, where else would she have gone if she couldn't get in touch with him. "Angela's!" Of course, that was the only other safe place.

With that thought in mind Jacob changed direction and bolted for the Weber's house.

* * *

As soon as Angela opened the door and revealed that Bella was indeed with her, Jacob nearly collapsed with gratitude at her feet. He smiled broadly at Angela, before stepping past her and scooping a shocked Bella up into his arms. "Thank god!" He said into her hair. "My phone died. I'm sorry."

Bella hugged him back. She could feel his heart hammering in his chest and could only guess at how stressed he was feeling. She didn't bring it up in front of Angela, though. With everything going on there hadn't been a right time for Embry to have his little talk with his girlfriend. So, right now, Angela was in the dark about everything.

"Are you alright?" Angela asked in concern when she noticed the tightness around his eyes.

"I'm fine." Jacob assured Angela as he pressed his lips back onto Bella's before pulling away again.

"Okay." Angela shrugged. "Well, come in, Jake. Embry's here."

Jacob threw his arm around Bella's shoulders and followed Angela into the lounge, where he found Embry, busy bantering with Angela's younger brothers over who got the biggest roller and who was going to paint in the edges. Embry had volunteered to paint the Webers lounge in order to impress Angela's parents. Eventually he managed to persuade the boys that using the smaller brushes was a more important skill then using the roller.

"Your dad will be so impressed." He told them. "If you do a good enough job, he might give you a reward."

"Money!" The two boys exclaimed in glee as they began to fight each other for the smaller brushes.

Angela rolled her eyes and began to expertly referee her rambunctious younger siblings. While she was busy doing this, Embry greeted Jacob with the usual man-hug, handshake thing they did.

"You're just in time to help me shift the furniture, dude." Embry laughed as he gestured around the room.

Jacob groaned quietly in annoyance as Bella gave him a shove in the direction of the heavy bookcase. Bella stayed with Angela as the boy's argument over who got what brush intensified. She envied her friend's patience with her brothers; she didn't think she would remain so calm and collected in the same circumstances. Thank god her soon to be brother, Colin, was such a sweetheart. Bella watched as Jacob moved the larger pieces of furniture with Embry's help. They looked like they were engaging in small talk, but Bella could tell by their low voices and serious expressions that it was really pack business.

They spent the rest of the afternoon into evening painting the Webers lounge. Angela's brothers did a sloppy job of painting in the corners, so they were soon sent off to play upstairs with a promise that they would be rewarded anyway. Bella watched Jacob discreetly as he painted alongside his best friend, she was glad to see him relax a bit. Doing something so ordinary seemed to have a calming effect, easing his tension away for a few hours.

"This has been fun." Angela declared as she brought in some snacks for Embry and Jacob. She rubbed at a bit of paint on her nose, which caused Embry to laugh at her. She smiled at him cutely and he kissed her cheek, making her blush.

Jacob and Bella exchanged a happy smile. It was heart-warming watching Embry and Angela together, they were just too adorable. By the time the painting was finished, they all seemed on a paint fume high. Angela was ecstatic when it was finally done, and afterwards they all sat down to watch a baseball game that was being televised. Angela's precocious brothers re-joined them at this point and the two girls were forced into refereeing them again as they began to fight over who was winning.

* * *

It was a Friday, and Bella couldn't wait for the weekend to start. It had been hard for her and Jacob to spend any time together, alone. His house was always so full of people, and so was Connie's. Bella's moving to the res had given the pack another place to go to fill their stomach's other than Emily's. They all knew what an amazing cook Bella was and took full advantage of her culinary skills as they turned up at all hours, expecting to be fed at a minute's notice. Jacob soon got fed up with this, but as it was Connie's house, he couldn't turf his brothers out. So, he worked on Colin instead, persuading him to clear the others out so he could spend some quality time with his girl.

Bella prepared Jacob a special meal. Jacob had been spent long hours patrolling all week and she felt he deserved to be pampered, so she was going to do exactly that. Colin had kept to his word and warned the others they needed to steer clear of his house this weekend. He didn't give a specific reason why to honour Jacob and Bella's privacy. He just mumbled something about Charlie and Connie wanting some time to themselves so they could indulge in a little romance. This was enough to even put Quil off his free lunch, so Jacob and Bella were good to go.

After eating the sumptuous meal that she had made, Bella spent the next hour working out all the knots in Jacob's muscles, massaging him into a state of bliss. To finish the night of pampering off, she ran a hot bath, adding some luxuriant bubble bath until the water was foaming. Jacob climbed inside, smiling when Bella joined him, her slim body contouring to his as the bubbles soothed away the last of his stress.

"This is perfect, Bells." Jacob kissed her on the mouth, letting his lips linger on hers for a while. "Thank you."

"You deserve it." Bella smiled into the kiss, before burying her face in the crook of his neck as she traced her fingers across his chest and abs slowly, making her mouth water. _Jeez, he was so gorgeous! Should she be lusting after him so much?_ She had been fighting the urge to jump his bones for days. The pampering session hadn't just been for his benefit.

She shifted and straddled him, pressing her body against his as she kissed him lightly on the lips. He looked so beautiful as he looked at her with a tender expression, he was just so freaking perfect. One muscled arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer to his body. Bella smiled and kissed him again. He moaned quietly and kissed her back softly.

Jacob's hand moved up and tangled in the back of her hair. "I am so glad that Charlie and Connie are working late tonight." He mumbled huskily as Bella kissed down his neck.

She grinned against his skin. "I know."

Jacob laughed as he tickled his fingers down her back, causing her to shiver in delight. She pulled back and smiled at him seductively. "Maybe we should take this to the bedroom?" She suggested coquettishly.

Jacob grinned and stood up in the bath, lifting Bella up with him as easily as if she was a small child. His sudden movement made her squeal in surprise as water sloshed over the sides of the bath. "Jacob!" She scolded him, hitting him lightly on the chest. "You better clear up this mess!"

"Later." He smirked. "I have other, more enjoyable things to do first. You think you can be quiet?"

Bella bit down on her lip and wrapped her legs around his waist; she nodded, giggling. "Yeah. I bet you can't make me scream."

Jacob laughed. "I'll take that bet." He crashed his lips onto hers, and Bella felt her heart skip a beat, she was so excited she could barely breathe. She knew she'd lose the bet; she always lost Jacob's bets.

**_A/N-a bit of calm before the storm I feel. Thanks for reading!_**


	44. Chapter 44

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Forty-Four**

Jacob used the pads of his fingers to touch his lips, they were still tingling from Bella's fierce kiss goodbye. He'd never really believed in the phrase parting is such sweet sorrow, but he did now. His heart ached to leave her behind on the reservation. He knew that her heart ached just as much to let him go. But they had no choice but to part-Riley had managed to set the trap-Victoria had finally agreed to meet him, the only downside was she had been the one to decide where and when. She was still very mistrustful, suspicious of everyone and everything.

At first, when Riley reported the news that the feisty red head was finally agreeing to meet him, the pack was joyous, adrenaline pumping they got ready to kill Victoria. But when he delivered the blow that she was only prepared to do so on her terms and not his, the packs celebratory mood dissipated. The place originally chosen to ambush her had been perfect for them. It was actually close to the meadow where the Cullens had once played baseball, but the wolves weren't to know that. The place Victoria had chosen was much more perilous and would give her all the advantages. It was up the side of a mountain, giving her a clear view of the terrain all around her. There were only a few places that the wolves would be able to hide. This unsettled them, and Sam and Jacob were considering calling it off, until Riley informed them this was probably going to be their only chance. She would become very suspicious if he cancelled on her, especially after going to so much effort to persuade her in the first place.

Worse was to come, the night before a fierce snow storm had blown in. The whole mountain was coated in a pure white carpet. The wolves' darker fur would stand out like a beacon to even a human's naked eye. Again, the pack became uneasy. An emergency meeting was held, everyone voiced an opinion. Sam and Jacob decided to put it to a vote, they would not allow any of their brothers to risk their lives if they weren't fully on board with the plan. In the end, the pack stuck together, the unanimous agreement was to go ahead and finish what they had started. Victoria was a lone vampire, what chance did she really have against all of them united?

* * *

The pack travelled up the mountain to the agreed meeting point in their human forms. It was easier to meld in with the terrain and keep hidden amongst the large rocks and bushy scrub clinging to the side of the mountain. The icy snow underfoot didn't bother them, their supernatural heat kept them toasty warm. They made sure to cover their tracks as they went. They didn't want to chance Victoria seeing any evidence in advance that she was walking into a trap. Jacob and Sam made sure that everyone kept downwind, after being careful in every other regard, they didn't want things to fall apart at the last hurdle by Victoria catching their scent. Once they had reached their destination, each member of the pack took careful pains to hide themselves-some even burrowing in the deep snow.

_Now all they had to do was wait!_

_And wait._

_And wait…._

Jacob was the one closest to the meeting point. He was the first to spot the black shadows moving toward them. Slowly, three vampires edged into sight, their eyes intent, missing nothing. Jacob tensed as he watched them, his keen eyes moving first to Victoria-her orange hair blazed brighter than the winter sun beating down on them-it was more like a flame. There was no wind, but the fire around her face seemed to shimmer slightly, as if it was alive. Jacob noticed her lips were pressed into a tight line. There was a striking feline quality to the way she held her coiled body, a lioness waiting to spring.

Riley on the other hand looked as nervous as hell-even though he was muscular and tall-he appeared less intimidating than Victoria. He kept sweeping his fingers through his blonde hair, his gaze flitting anxiously to the smaller figure standing next to him…. Lily.

Jacob gritted his teeth in frustration. What the hell was Lily doing there? Riley had promised to stow the unpredictable newborn away somewhere. Her presence just made everything much more precarious. He glanced over his shoulder toward where Sam was hiding a few metres away. Jacob could see that Uley was thinking the same thing.

Victoria was sniffing the air now; her eyes were black with thirst. It was clear she hadn't hunted for a long time. That alone would make her more ferocious. Tension rolled off of her, nearly visible in the air. Jacob could feel her hatred, the all-consuming passion that held her in its grip. Almost as if he could hear her thoughts, too, he knew what she was thinking.

"Why did you make her come?" Riley was the first to break the tense silence.

Victoria rounded on him, snarling. "Insurance."

Jacob's eyes widened in shock at the sound of her voice. It was not the strong, wild, catlike growl he would have put with her face and stance. It was soft, it was high-a babyish soprano tinkling. The kind of voice that went with blond curls and pink bubble gum. It made no sense coming through her bared, glistening teeth.

"Riley?" Lily chirped as her brow furrowed in confusion. "Who is this woman?"

Riley's jaw tightened, and he squared his shoulders. His eyes emptied-there was no more nerves, no more anything. "She's here." He said dully, all life gone from his voice.

Victoria's body trembled; she was so tightly wound. Her fingers were ready claws, reaching to strike and rip Riley's eyes out of their sockets. "TRAITOR!" She screamed.

It was time to strike. Jacob was first, he phased on the fly-always the fastest, the swiftest, the strongest-his mammoth russet shape flew through the air, heading right for Victoria.

"No." Victoria cried, her baby voice shrill with disbelief. She grabbed Riley, yanking him back by the hair. Using his body as a shield she backed away, yelling curses at Jacob.

"RILEY!" Lily sobbed in fear. "RILEY!"

Jacob was forced to swerve. He crash-landed a few feet to the right of Victoria. He didn't want to hurt Riley if he didn't have to. One by one the other wolves revealed themselves. Soon Victoria was surrounded by masses of fur and sharp teeth. Her eyes darkened further, filled with a disappointment so ferocious she looked deranged.

"No." She said again, through her teeth, as the wolves began to swirl around her in a slow circle.

Behind them Lily was sobbing hysterically. Her eyes remained dry, but her pained cries pierced the ears of the wolves, causing some of them to whine in protest. They were taking their lead from Sam and Jacob, some getting frustrated by why they were hesitating to attack. They hadn't built up the relationship with Riley that Jacob had. He didn't see him as just a vampire, but a victim of circumstance, just like they all were. He didn't deserve to die on this god-forsaken mountaintop. He had risked everything to help them.

"You're a fool." Victoria hissed in Riley's ear. "They don't care about you. They used you. Didn't I warn you about their mind tricks. You're going to pay for your foolishness now. You're my ticket out of here."

With that parting comment, Victoria lifted Riley up as if he weighed nothing, then flung him bodily at the wolves. His stone body crashed into Embry and Quil, the force of the blow sending them sprawling into the snow, and temporarily breaking the circle. As soon as a gap appeared Victoria was off, running like a flash. Her outline blurred as she charged past the wolves, laughing hysterically as she aimed a vicious kick at Riley's body as she passed him.

"Fuck!" Jacob cried in his head. "Get her!"

As one the wolves spun around-Embry and Quil taking a little longer to follow-they were winded from the blow of Riley's body crashing into them.

* * *

Victoria did not spare one glance for the boy whose life she'd ruined. Instead her gaze focused on a hysterical Lily. She stopped her forward momentum and grabbed the newborn by the roots of her black bob, wrenching her head back at a painful angle so she was forced to look into Victoria's angry eyes.

"The red one. His mother killed your parents. He killed your brother. He wants to kill Riley now. This is your last chance to save the one you love. KILL HIM!" Victoria abruptly let go and continued to run like crazy down the side of the mountain, the pack of baying wolves hot on her heels.

Lily's whole body shook as she looked wildly in Jacob's direction. Her crimson eyes turned opaque, a flash of recognition crossing her face. Victoria was weaving through the scraggy tree trunks at the far end of the clearing, whooping as if pleased with the chaos she was causing. That was until Sam's teeth snapping on her heels cut short her glee. She showed her teeth and hissed at him.

Jacob was close by Sam's side. The black and red wolf moved in unison as they chased down Victoria, second by second gaining ground on her, until out of nowhere Jacob felt something rip into him on his left side. He howled in pain, swerving off to one side, blood dripping from his flank. Lily was standing inches away from him, her poisonous teeth bared, her pretty features twisted into a vengeful mask.

"I know who you are now. I remember." She screamed at him.

Jacob crouched into a defensive stance. There was no way he could answer her in his wolf form. Her fist lashed out and caught him on the end of the nose, a low yelp coughed out of his throat. Jacob didn't want to hurt her, so he backed away, his shoulders twitching as if he was trying to shake off the pain. Lily kept coming forward, driving Jacob toward the cliff face. Jacob snapped at her; out of the corner of his eye he could see his brothers closing in on Victoria.

"You killed Trent." Lily whispered as she darted closer. "Your mother killed my parents." A dry sob tore from her throat while her crimson eyes glowed with the madness of her renewed grief. "You deserve to die."

Jacob shook his head from side to side. He was backed against the cliff face. Lily clenched her teeth, trying to keep her focus on Jacob.

"Lily." Riley's crooning voice echoed off the cliff face.

Lily paused in her attack, glancing over her shoulder at the boy she loved. "Riley?" She whispered uncertainly.

"You don't want to do this." Riley continued in the same hypnotic tone. "You're not a killer, Lily. Don't let Victoria get in your head."

"But he is." The words were torn from Lily's throat in an anguished cry. "He killed Trent."

"Trent hurt a lot of people, Lily. He hurt me. He abused you."

"No, my brother loved me. He looked after me." Lily shook her head in denial.

"He controlled you, Lily. You just don't remember." Riley held out his hand toward her. "Come with me. You love me. I've never lied to you, Lily. Ever."

Lily shook her head, fast and jerky, fighting his diversions, and tried to refocus her attention on Jacob. But it was too late by then. Victoria had come back around. The red head was no inexperienced, instinct driven newborn like Lily. She was lethal. That's why she had managed to survive for so long. But even with all her experience she was struggling to escape the wolves. Angered by the knowledge that she was losing the fight, she decided to take as many others down with her as she could, starting with Riley, who was right in her flight path.

The enraged red head barged into him like a homing missile, knocking him flat to the ground. With one swift movement, she snapped his neck, ripping his head from his body and sending it rolling across the frozen ground, until it stopped right in front of Lily's feet.

_There was a fleeting moment of silence; time stopped…_

Lily stared down at Riley's decapitated head lying on the cold ground. His lifeless eyes stared back up at her.

Then she screamed.

It was an agonising, high pitched wail of despair. It thundered off the mountain, reaching the peaks, the intensity of the cry sending the wolves diving into the snow to stop it ricocheting painfully in their ears.

_Time started again…_

Victoria, battling with the same deafening pain in her ears like the wolves, moved to end it. She grabbed Lily, intending to do to her what she had just done to Riley. But the kill wasn't so easy this time. With the strength of a newly born vampire, Lily grappled with the redhead, fighting tooth and nail, wanting to scratch her eyes out for what she had done. Lily continued to keep up the high-pitched feral screaming right until the very end. Finally, she succumbed to Victoria's greater experience. The last wails died on her lips as Victoria stood, raising Lily's decapitated head up to the blue skies in triumph.

It was a triumph that didn't last long. Free from the ear-piercing screams that had subdued them, the wolves slowly circled around Victoria, driving her right back toward Jacob, trapping her. The triumphant smile slid from her face as the massive red wolf launched his final attack.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_

_**Jeez, writing fight scenes are so damn hard. I hope it came across as credible! **_

_**Let me know what you think in the reviews.**_

_**I have to admit I'm sad for Riley and even Lily here. :'(**_


	45. Chapter 45

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Part Forty-Five**

Bella woke up as she felt someone get on the bed. She opened her eyes groggily and looked over to see Jacob getting into bed with her. She burst into tears and threw her arms around him. She had never been so happy to see anyone in her life. He hugged her back tightly, stroking her hair, rocking her gently as he pressed his lips to her neck. Bella tangled her fingers in his hair and didn't want to let him go. She never wanted him away from her again.

"I've been so worried. You were gone so long." She was sobbing with relief.

"It's okay now, Bells. Everything's fine. She's gone. Victoria can't hurt you anymore. How are you feeling?" Jacob asked softly as he pulled back to look at her. His gorgeous dark eyes were looking at her all concerned.

Bella smiled and kissed him, pressing herself to him tightly. Trust Jacob to think of her first and not himself. He smiled against her lips and pulled back again.

"I'm fine. I'm so pleased to see you." She promised, tracing her hands down his beautiful face. Jacob ran his hand through her hair, just looking at her tenderly for a few minutes. "Is it really over?"

"Its really over." Jacob assured her again. He buried his face in the side of her neck. "We can start living our lives now, Bells. We're free to do whatever we want."

Bella let out the breath she didn't realise she had been holding and relaxed. This was real. This wasn't some dream. The nightmare really was over. "What are we going to do with all this free time?" She teased lightly.

"I don't know." Jacob's breath was hot on her skin as his hand trailed down toward her stomach. "What do you suggest?"

Bella responded by giving him a fiery kiss, making him growl low in his throat and tug her closer. He was the first to pull out of the kiss. Bella pouted and he laughed, flipping her onto her back and hovering over her.

"I love you, Bella Swan."

"I love you, too."

Jacob bent forward and kissed her, softly, tenderly, making her feel like the most loved and special girl in the world. From today they could make a fresh start, there was nothing left to hold them back. Bella was determined to forget everything and look to the future-her future with Jacob.

* * *

_**One month later;**_

"Are you okay, Charlie?" Connie looked at him in concern. He had been acting weird all day. She was wondering if he was coming down with something. He was looking a little green around the gills and his forehead was shiny with perspiration. "We can skip dinner if you like and stay here." She suggested.

"No!" Charlie said in a strangled tone. "We can't skip dinner. We've got reservations and everything."

"We can always re-book." Connie patted his hand comfortingly. "I'll call the restaurant…."

"You can't do that." Charlie was breathless as he practically snatched Connie's cell out of her hands.

"Charlie!" Connie looked at him confusion. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Charlie tugged at the sedate tie he had chosen for the occasion. He felt like it was strangling him. He was getting short of breath. He wished he had listened to Bella now and worn something more casual, something he felt comfortable in, not this confining suit. But he so wanted to impress Connie!

"Then why are you acting so weird?" Connie was getting impatient now.

"We just need to get to that restaurant." Charlie smiled but it came out more like a grimace. "Its important we get there."

"Why?"

Because the expensive string quartet he had booked to play while he got down on one knee and proposed would be arriving soon. They had already warned him they were on the clock. If he was late, or if things overran, then they would move on to their next gig, and there would be no refund.

"Charlie, are you going to answer me or not?" Connie demanded with hands on hips.

"Yes, my dear." Charlie took one of her hands and raised it to his lips.

"My dear?" Connie echoed him in disbelief. "Since when do you bother with endearments. My dear makes me sound ancient. I'm still in my thirties you know."

"Um…oh….um…" Charlie began to panic. He was screwing this up, just like he knew he would. "I thought you might like it. Jake calls Bells honey all the time."

"Well that's different." Connie answered without explaining why that was.

"Oh." Charlie felt a headache beginning to form over his eyes. "Well, sweeth…my dea…Connie…we should go or we'll be late and they'll give our table to someone else."

Connie rolled her eyes, giving in. She already had visions of him hurling all over that ridiculously expensive suit he was wearing. He looked that green. She was all for romantic gestures but Charlie was going over the top. He was so far out of his comfort zone that it was making him ill.

"We can just go to the diner if you'd prefer." She offered again. "You can take off that suit. You're clearly feeling uncomfortable in it."

"I'm not." Charlie denied as he tugged at the collar of his shirt.

"You keep fidgeting and fussing with it." Connie pointed out reasonably. "Go and change, Charlie. I don't mind if you want to dress casual. I didn't fall in love with you for your sense of style." She joked.

"I bought this suit and I will damn well stay in it until I get the damn job done." Charlie barked at her.

Connie's cheeks turned red with anger. "Don't you speak to me like that, Charles Eugene Swan. I won't stand for it. I refuse to go out to dinner with you when you're acting like this."

"No, you have to!" Charlie was regretting his sharp outburst. He looked at Connie pleadingly. "This restaurant is one of the most expensive in Port Angeles. It's so hard to get a table there. I had to pull in a few favours. It's supposed to be a special night. I've gone to a lot of trouble to get things just right. Please, Connie, you have to forgive me."

"I don't feel like it." Connie sniffed. She began taking off her jacket.

This was all going completely wrong. Instead of a romantic proposal all he had managed to do was insult her, shout at her, and make it sound like she was getting old. Charlie opened his mouth to beg Connie to reconsider but she wouldn't listen.

"I don't know what has got into you, Charlie. This is not like you at all." Connie shook her had sadly. "I thought with everything finally going back to normal that you would be less stressed, but you've been tense for days. I don't pretend to understand it. I mean Jake and Bella have been living in their own little romantic bubble, it's so cute and adorable to see. Even my Colin is dipping his toe in the dating pool. It's early days but Ginny seems like a sweet girl. You know I hoped we'd be the same. I was envisioning long romantic walks, lovely dinners in front of a roaring fire, waking up together on a…"

"No, Connie, you've got it all wrong. I am trying to be romantic. I promise you." Charlie pleaded. "I've organised this whole thing just to show you how romantic I can be. It cost me a fortune."

"There you go again. With you its all about the money." Connie snapped. "I enjoy the little things, Charlie. I don't expect my man to spend a lot or make grand gestures. I thought we were on the same wavelength. Clearly not…I…"

"Can you just stop and let me speak for a minute, woman?" Charlie demanded hotly. "I am trying to propose to you."

"What?" Connie's dark brown eyes opened wide in surprise.

"I…I…I…I…" Charlie suddenly lost the ability to speak again. He was feeling quite faint. This wasn't how things were meant to go. One glance at his watch told him that the string quartet were a no go. Even if they left now and he drove like a madman to Port Angeles, they would be leaving for their next appointment. The whole thing was a disaster!

Connie had no idea of the crazy thoughts rebounding in his head. She stared and stared at him for a long minute, before she suddenly came back to life as his words finally sank in. "Oh, Charlie." She gushed, her eyes shining. She launched herself at him, grabbing his shocked face and kissing him wildly. "That's the most romantic proposal ever. You gorgeous man."

"Huh?" Charlie was completely flabbergasted.

"You know I was going to propose to you myself." Connie continued with a wistful sigh. "I had it all planned out. I was going to take you to one of the local games and ask you to marry me in front of the whole crowd and our families."

"You were?" Charlie's eyes bugged out of his head at this news.

"I was." Connie squeezed his cheeks and giggled at the funny look on his face. "But you know this is so much better-a passionate, spontaneous proposal. I love it."

"You do?"

"I do." Connie smiled tenderly. "And my answer is yes." She said, pecking him on the lips.

"Is it?"

"Yes."

"Wow."

"Yes…. wow!

"We're getting married." Charlie said, grinning goofily.

"We are, silly man." Connie giggled.

"Woohoo!" Charlie grabbed Connie around the waist and twirled her around in a circle. At least he tried until his back gave out and he was forced to put her down. "Ow!" He muttered, pressing one hand on his lower back.

"Are you okay?" Connie asked in alarm.

"I'll be fine." Charlie groaned. "It's in my left pocket."

"What is?"

Charlie gave her a look and Connie laughed, blushing. She dug her hand in the left pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a bill for the string quartet he had hired.

"What's this?" She asked, frowning in confusion before realisation dawned. "You spent how much?"

"Connie, ignore that. The ring is the inner pocket." Charlie said sheepishly.

"Oh." Connie blushed again as she abandoned the bill and dug around in his inside pocket. She withdrew a small, black velvet ring box. "Shall I?" She squealed in delight.

"Hang on." Charlie winced as he lowered himself down on one knee. His back creaked in protest but he was determined to do it. Taking the box from Connie, he opened it up and rested it in the palm of his hand. "Connie Louise Littlesea, will you do me the honour of becoming…."

The front door burst open and Jacob and Bella walked in, followed close behind by Colin and his new girlfriend, Ginny. They stopped short when they noticed Charlie down on one knee in front of Connie.

"Dad, you can be such a cheapskate." Bella complained in disgust.

"I thought you were taking her to some fancy eating place." Colin said in confusion. "And please tell me that's not the ring you fished out the toilet."

"Dad!" Bella gasped. "Please tell me that's not true?"

Jacob was doing his best not to laugh. Poor Charlie looked mortified. He decided to take pity on the older man. "Let's leave the lovebirds to it, guys." He grabbed Bella's hand in his before she could protest and pulled her toward the kitchen, motioning for Colin and Ginny to follow.

When they were gone from view, Connie looked at Charlie and he looked at her for a minute, before they busted up laughing.

_**A/N-all's well that ends well. Just the epilogue to come. Thanks for reading! **_


	46. Chapter 46

**Wolf Boy**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Epilogue**

Jacob glanced down at his watch and gasped. Damn, it was almost one-thirty. He was running late.

"_Please, don't let me be late!" _He chanted in his head.

Jacob sped to the college, panicked, and ran as fast as he could around the back of the field. It was ten to two now and it was due to start in ten minutes. He slid through the crowd, looking for them. He spotted Colin straight away; he was standing up on his chair scanning the crowd. He waved like an idiot when he spotted Jacob and Jacob couldn't help but grin.

He started to make his way to them, when a girl he didn't know stepped in front of him. "I don't think we've met." She said, putting her hand on his chest to capture his attention.

Jacob rolled his eyes. He was always attracting this kind of attention, especially when he was away from home. His size alone was enough to make him stand out, throw in his good looks, and that just added to his appeal.

"I'm taken." He responded abruptly as he brushed the girl's hand away. She was the typical blonde cheerleader type and didn't hold a candle to Bella.

"Rude!" She called after him as he bounded away from her and continued on his journey.

Jacob made his way through the crowd and sat down at the end of their row.

Colin waved at him. "You're just in time."

"I know."

"Did you get everything set up?" Connie asked from beside him.

Jacob grimaced. "Yeah, jeez, Connie, I'm so nervous." His hands hadn't stopped sweating all morning.

Connie laughed and shook her head. "You're as bad as Charlie. You'll be fine. Just calm down." She stated, laughing at his discomfiture.

"I know." Jacob waved at his father to capture his attention. Billy waved back, grinning. Beside him sat his new girlfriend. After Charlie's success at finding love using a dating app, he had decided to do the same. His first few attempts had met with little success, but then he met Charlotte who seemed like a keeper.

"Hey, Jake!" Charlotte squeezed down the aisle to hug him, then she slipped something into his hand. "You forgot this earlier. Lucky your dad spotted it."

"Shit!" Jacob looked at the ring box in his hand. He had been feeling so flustered all day that he had completely forgotten the most important thing, "Thanks, Charlotte." He said gratefully.

"No problem." She gave him another warm smile and left to re-join Billy.

Jacob looked down the rest of the line, the whole pack was there-Sam and his Emily, Embry, Quil, Jared and his girlfriend, Kim, Paul Lahote and his latest squeeze (Jacob couldn't remember her name), and lastly Harry and his wife Sue had come along, bringing their children, Leah and Seth. Thankfully Seth had never phased. Colin had been the last.

A lot had happened in the last five years. With Victoria defeated life had settled into a smooth rhythm for everyone. Vampires rarely visited their part of the world anymore. And if they did, they didn't stay long, the wolf pack made sure of that. The pack still patrolled on occasion, but there wasn't the urgency there once was. They were now beginning the long drawn out negotiations with the elders for them to step down and stop phasing completely.

Suddenly, everyone started clapping and Jacob's heart took off into overdrive as he scanned the crowd for her. He spotted her standing off to the left of the stage, chatting with Angela, who still remained one of her best friends. She looked smoking hot in her blue ceremonial robes. Jacob hadn't seen her all day. He'd left just after breakfast to give him enough time to set up the surprise for her graduation present.

Bella was graduating today with a full teaching degree. Jacob was incredibly proud of her; she'd worked so damn hard for the last few years at college and was graduating with full honours. Angela had worked just as hard. She was graduating, too. They were going into teaching together. Jacob saw the same proud smile he was wearing reflected on Embry's face. He saw Bella trying to listen as the little man gave his speech about the graduating class, and then started going through the list of names of the graduates, while they walked on and shook his hand getting a certificate. Jacob couldn't concentrate; he was so freaking nervous that he actually felt sick. He couldn't take his eyes off her, she was so beautiful. She honestly still took his breath away every time he saw her.

He heard the Dean shout her name and grinned, clapping like crazy. Bella was beaming as she scanned the crowd; she spotted Jacob right away. Jacob was hard to miss. She waved her little certificate proudly, showing it off. Jacob winked at her and watched her skip off the stage happily. He was shifting in his seat nervously because it was almost over, it was almost time. He rubbed his hands on his jeans, trying to dry them. He'd honestly never been so nervous in his life. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his old man and Charlie laughing at him. He grinned sheepishly and joined in their laughter.

After another few minutes the last certificate was handed out, and Jacob saw her winding her way through the crowd towards him. When she reached him, Bella threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. He lifted her off her feet and spun her in a small circle as he relished the feel of her lips against his. Bella pulled back and giggled, she was so happy it made Jacob's heart skip a beat.

"Congratulations." He said, smiling.

Bella leaned in for another kiss and he held her tighter. Damn, five years and he still couldn't get enough of her. He pulled out of the kiss, very aware of everyone watching them. A few feet away Embry was enjoying similar congratulations with Angela.

Jacob finally set Bella down on her feet and brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I am so proud of you, honey."

"Thanks. I was worried when I couldn't see you. Where have you been all morning?" Bella asked.

Before Jacob could respond, Bella was pulled into hugs by the rest of their extended friends and family. Bella was breathless with happiness when the congratulatory hugs were over.

"Thanks, guys." She gushed. "What shall we do now? Shall we all have a drink or something?" She looked around at everyone.

_It was now or never! _

Everyone was looking at Jacob. He sucked in a deep breath, feeling under more pressure with everyone staring at him. "Um…actually, honey, I was wondering if I could take you somewhere after." He answered, trying not to give anything away.

Bella looked at him curiously, she hated surprises. "Okay." She said, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Jacob bent and kissed her nose. "You'll have to wait and see." He replied, smirking at her, knowing this was probably killing her. She frowned and narrowed her eyes at him, making him laugh. Jacob grabbed her hands, unwrapping them from his waist. "You ready to go now?" He asked, hopefully.

Bella nodded and looked back at everyone else. They were all grinning like mad people; Billy was the worst, he had the biggest smirk on his face, Charlie wasn't much better. Jacob glared at them, warning them to tone it down a little. Bella was staring at them all in confusion, obviously wondering why they were all acting so weird.

"Well, I guess I'll see you all a little later." She said, still confused.

"We will." Charlie ducked down and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "Well done, kiddo. I am so proud of you."

"Thanks, Dad." Bella hugged him again, then Connie, followed lastly by Connie.

Jacob wrapped his arm around her before the congratulations could begin all over again. He towed her to their waiting car and helped her into the passenger seat.

"You're being very mysterious." She complained.

* * *

Bella wished she knew what was going on. She hated surprises, which Jacob knew very well. She glanced over at him again, he looked nervous about something, he was sitting really straight in his seat. This wasn't the normal, relaxed Jake, that she loved to death. After a long drive making small talk about the weather and the graduation ceremony, they pulled up outside a non-descript building.

"Where the hell are we?" Bella asked. She thought he'd be taking her to some fancy dinner or something not to some real estate on the edge of Forks. She got out of the car and held his hand as he led her forward. "Hey, I recognise this place. Isn't this Jim Dowling's old garage?"

As far as she could remember Dowling's had operated from a run-down old building. But this looked new, pristine. It had clearly been done up very recently, the outside had been painted a nice cream colour and the windows had all been replaced.

"What do you think?" Jacob asked, wrapping his arms around Bella from behind.

_Think about what? What was she missing?_ "Um, it's great?" She shrugged, confused.

Jacob laughed. "Okay, you have no idea what I'm talking about do you?" He teased.

"No." Bella laughed along with him. "You're gonna have to tell me."

"Well, see that building in front of you." He pointed out.

Bella nodded, still feeling bemused as to what this was all about.

"It's mine…. well ours." Jacob laughed at her shocked expression. "Well, Embry's, too. We're going into business together."

Bella gasped as the penny finally dropped. "JAKE!" She yelled, throwing her arms around him. "You bought Dowling's old place?"

"Yes." Jacob smiled and brushed his fingers across her cheek lightly. "I am now a business owner. It's still got to be done up inside, but within three months this place will be a fully working garage again."

"Oh, God, Jake, you're kidding me!" Bella squealed again. "I am so freaking proud of you. C'mere." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him heartily until they were both breathless. "This is so amazing!"

Jacob nuzzled her cheek before kissing her again gently. "Let's go inside." He turned toward the doors, smiling happily.

Bella could barely contain her excitement as he handed her the keys to the building. Her hands were shaking so badly she could barely get the key into the lock. He had to help her. As they walked through the doors, she got another shock of her life. Jacob suddenly went down on one knee in front of her. Bella felt her heart stop as she resisted the urge to shout yes before he had even asked. So, this was why he had been acting so nervous.

With a hand over her rapidly beating heart she watched as Jacob pulled out a little black ring box, lifting the lid to reveal a gorgeous diamond ring. "Bells, I've loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. It's only ever been you. It will always be you. Will you marry me?" He asked, looking really anxious.

_Did he really think she would say no?_

Bella swallowed noisily. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to speak. "Yes." She whispered.

Jacob smiled one of his beautiful smiles, taking her hand and slipping the ring on her finger, where it fitted perfectly. Then he jumped up and down, grabbing her around the waist, and kissing her fiercely. Bella smiled happily against his lips and he pulled back to rest his forehead on hers. "I love you so much." He said huskily.

"I love you, too. My brave, handsome, wolf boy." Bella replied softly, kissing him again.

She was certain no one had ever been happier than she was in that moment. She had the perfect family, had just graduated with full honours, and the man of her dreams-who had just acquired his dream business- had just asked her to be his wife. Life couldn't get any better than this; she was honestly the luckiest girl in the world.

_**Fin…**_

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_

_**Edward Cullen who?**_


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